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Bora, Sangchu county (Chin: Xiahe Xian) at Saturday, 15 March 2008

by CTA — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:32:01 +0200

Demonstrations were held in Bora township “and” Sangchu county.
(reported by CTA, 21 April 2008)

Bora, Sangchu county (Chin: Xiahe Xian) at Tuesday, 18 March 2008

by CTA — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:31:53 +0200

Monks and laypeople in Bora township held a protest rally; footage of young Tibetans joining the rally on horseback [and on motorbikes] was broadcast around the world.
(reported by CTA, 20 March 2008)

Bora, Sangchu county (Chin: Xiahe Xian) at Tuesday, 18 March 2008

by CTA — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:31:42 +0200

Demonstrations were held in Bora township “and” Sangchu county. Head injuries and broken legs were reported. Some of those who sustained injuries were:

Kathup Tsering, aged 45.
Nyingchup Gyal, aged 27.
Tashi Dorjee, aged 51.
Bhenthey Khar, aged 23.
(reported by CTA, 21 April 2008)

Bora, Sangchu county (Chin: Xiahe Xian) at Sunday, 23 March 2008

by CTA — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:31:33 +0200

Demonstrations were held in Bora township “and” Sangchu county. Many arrests were made between 23 March and 15 April. Lhagho Kyap, a teacher from a local school, was one of those arrested.
(reported by CTA, 21 April 2008)

Ngaba town (Chin: Aba), Ngaba county (Chin: Aba xian ) at Saturday, 09 August 2008

by FTC — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:26:02 +0200

The two women shot in Ngaba on 9 August were both Tibetan:

Sonam Wangmo, 22, from Tseni township in Lower Ngaba county; a waitress in a teashop; she was shot in the arm.
Zhang Yeying, 28, from Gyarong (Ch: Jiarong) in Kardze TAP; she was shot in the hand.

Four or five gunshots were heard. Tibetans who went to the assistance of the women reported that Chinese soldiers arrived on the scene shortly after the shots were fired, claiming that the firing had had been “a mistake”. The women were taken to the Ngaba County Civil Hospital; their present medical condition is unknown.
[Note: FTC updated its online press release dated 10/08/08 during the following days; no date was provided for the amendments, thus the amended version incorrectly appears to have been published on 10/08/08. The text here is a summary of the additional information provided regarding the 09/08/08 shooting incident, taken from the version of the press release that was available online on 13/08/08. See separate database entry for FTC 09/08/08 for a summary of the shooting incident, as reported on 10/08/08.]
(reported by FTC, 13 August 2008)

Mangra county (Chin: Guinan Xian) at Monday, 10 March 2008

by Woeser blog/chinadigitaltimes — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:23:33 +0200

Monks from Lutsang monastery held a peaceful demonstration; dispersed by security forces (“troops and police”)
(reported by Woeser blog/chinadigitaltimes, 18 March 2008)

Bayan Hui AC, Hualong Xian at Monday, 10 March 2008

by Woeser blog/chinadigitaltimes — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:22:05 +0200

Monks from Decha monastery held a peaceful demonstration; dispersed by security forces (“troops and police”)
(reported by Woeser blog/chinadigitaltimes, 18 March 2008)

Lhasa at Friday, 14 March 2008

by Woeser blog/chinadigitaltimes — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:21:09 +0200

Morning: almost 100 monks gathered close to Ramoche temple to protest against the recent suppression in Drepung, Sera, and other monasteries. The monks were stopped and beaten by police; laypeople respond with anger, resulting in a large protest involving tens of thousands of people. According to reliable sources from Lhasa PSB (Chin. Lasa gong an jiu), the order prohibiting police from firing weapons was lifted – from 14 March onward the security forces (“troops and police” were authorised to open fire on demonstrators.
(reported by Woeser blog/chinadigitaltimes, 18 March 2008)

Kardze county (Chin: Ganzi Xian) at Monday, 24 March 2008

by CTA — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:17:36 +0200

Each household was thoroughly searched by the security forces (“troops and police”).
(reported by CTA, 27 March 2008)

Woenpo monastery, Sershul county (Chin: Shiqu Xian) at Monday, 31 March 2008

by CTA — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:15:28 +0200

Government officials arrived at Voenpo [Woenpo] monastery to conduct ‘patriotic re-education’ classes. Eight monks and lay people were arrested for alleged “involvement, leading and masterminding” of the demonstrations in Lhasa in March; they were told that the authorities have documents linking them to the demonstrations.
(reported by CTA, 09 April 2008)

Woenpo monastery, Sershul county (Chin: Shiqu Xian) at Monday, 31 March 2008

by CTA — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:15:22 +0200

Date unspecified: towards the end of March, a number of arrests of monks and laypeople were made at Voenpo [Woenpo] monastery. A large contingent of armed forces arrived; conducted thorough searches of all the monks’ quarters; some monks beaten for possessing the Tibetan flag and other “unpatriotic” items. Numerous statues and computers owned by the monastery were confiscated. The monastery was placed under tight restrictions.
(reported by CTA, 07 April 2008)

Sera monastery, Phuwu township, Serthar county (Chin: Seda Xian) at Thursday, 20 March 2008

by CTA — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:29:55 +0200

PAP personnel opened fire on monks demonstrating at Sera monastery, Phuwu township.
Three monks were reported killed; ten were injured but were refused admission to Chinese hospitals.
(reported by CTA, 22 March 2008)

Mintso monastery, Dawu (Tawu) (Chin: Daofu) at Saturday, 05 April 2008

by RFA — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:19:59 +0200

Monks planned a special ceremony to mourn those killed in earlier protests, despite a warning that Chinese police had orders to shoot on sight anyone seen protesting. Local people joined them; the crowd grew to about 1,000; they marched peacefully while reciting prayers but they were blocked by several hundred armed police. Eventually, the monks were allowed to pass but the laypeople were stopped. The crowd became agitated and raised slogans.
The police opened fire on the crowds and injured about fifteen Tibetans; five of them were seriously injured and were detained. The monks called the head of Daofu county and warned that if those detained were not released, all the monks would continue protesting even if it meant they would be killed. Those detained were then released and the injured were taken to the local hospital but they were denied treatment. Ten of the Tibetans were later reported to be in a stable condition, while four of those more seriously injured were being taken to China for medical treatment in a vehicle owned by Mintso monastery. An official at the Daofu PSB confirmed that a protest had occurred but added: “Now everything is quiet and under control”.
Before phone lines in the area were cut, a witness told RFA: “Please tell the world what we are doing here and that the Chinese are waging a violent crackdown”.
(reported by RFA, 05 April 2008)

Chone county (Chin: Zhuoni Xian) at Thursday, 27 March 2008

by sources to RFA — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:18:42 +0200

A Chinese woman living in the county in the southern part of Gansu province, told RFA: “They detained a lot of Tibetans. Those who committed serious crimes are being detained. Those whose offences were not so serious have been released […] [Those who were detained] were being hauled to our side of the county one car load after another”.
(reported by sources to RFA, 27 March 2008)

Chone county (Chin: Zhuoni Xian) at Sunday, 30 March 2008

by RFA — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:18:31 +0200

A witness told RFA that an armed forces division from Wuhan, in Hubei province, has been deployed to Chone county; armed police are trying to arrest Tibetans who remain at large. Sporadic riots continue.
(reported by RFA, 31 March 2008)

Chone Gonchen Ganden Shedrubling monastery, Chone county (Chin: Zhuoni xian) at Sunday, 16 March 2008

by Woeser blog/chinadigitaltimes — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:14:51 +0200

Protest at Chone monastery; no clashes reported.
(reported by Woeser blog/chinadigitaltimes, 18 March 2008)

Lingqu monastery, Dawu (Tawu) county (Chin: Daofu Xian) at Saturday, 05 April 2008

by The Times — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:10:33 +0200

Monks at Lingque temple [Lingqu monastery, possibly a.k.a. Nyitso monastery] were joined by several hundred pilgrims for [the annual Monlam] prayer ceremony [which ended with a ritual], the Torgya, which is meant to exorcise evil elements from society" [it is an apotropaic ritual intended to dispel evil and bad luck]. The police “appeared to grow anxious about the size of the crowd”, which included monks, about 400 nomads, local residents, students and even civil servants who wore dust masks to conceal their identity. Around midday, security forces ordered a halt to the ceremony but the demonstrators refused to leave; the stand-off lasted for several hours. Police opened fire to disperse the protesters, who demanded the return of the Dalai Lama; about ten people were wounded. A resident stated: “The police opened fire. We could hear it. But I haven’t heard about any of the people throwing stones at the security forces.”
(reported by The Times, 07 April 2008)

Darlag county at Thursday, 27 March 2008

by TCHRD — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:05:34 +0200

Five hundred Tibetans from Ponkor Toema and Tibetans from Ponkor Mema townships in hiding on a nearby mountain since 26 March and surrounded by Chinese security forces were encouraged to surrender and promised leniency. On 27 March, two Tibetans voluntarily surrendered but were severely beaten and tortured.

During the following weeks, hundreds of Tibetan protesters were arrested by the Chinese security forces. [unclear whether or not TCHRD is referring to the Tibetans from Ponkor Toema and Tibetans from Ponkor Mema townships who sought hide-outs on a nearby mountain]. Many of them were later released from detention but were charged a hefty fine of 20,000 RMB (US$2,500).

(reported by TCHRD, 29 April 2008)

Ngaba county (Chin: Aba Xian) at Thursday, 03 April 2008

by ICT — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:03:53 +0200

The authorities are reportedly targeting people in the area with mobile phones and suspected of sending information and photos to the Tibetan exile community, relating to the protests and subsequent crackdown.
(reported by ICT, 03 April 2008)

Ngaba county (Chin: Aba Xian) at Wednesday, 19 March 2008

by TCHRD — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:01:54 +0200

Tibetans in Ngaba county told to surrender to the Chinese authorities following protests on 15, 16 and 17 March, in return for leniency. There are cases of “enforced disappearance” in the area. The homes of suspected demonstrators were raided. Prayer sessions at Kirti monastery were forced to be suspended indefinitely.
(reported by TCHRD, 19 March 2008)

Gansu province at Thursday, 20 March 2008

by TCHRD — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:59:14 +0200

Public notices in Tibetan and Chinese languages were posted around the county [unspecified] and broadcast through loud speakers. The ultimatum was jointly issued by the law enforcement authorities of Kanlho (Chin. Gannan) TAP Intermediate People’s Court, Procuratorate, and the PSB and referred to recent protests in the counties of Sangchu (Chin. Xiahe), Luchu (Chin. Luqu), Machu (Chin. Maqu), Chone (Chin. Zhouni), Tewo (Chin. Diebu) and the town of Tsoe (Khanlo Dzong; Chin. Gannan/Hezuo/Hezuoshen).

The public notice posted warns protesters to surrender by midnight of 25 March and they will be treated “leniently” while those who do not surrender and those who shelter them will be treated “harshly”. Despite the 25 March deadline, late night raids, arbitrary arrests and disappearances have already been reported from Sangchu and other counties.

The Chinese government sent thousands of troops on foot, trucks and in helicopters into Tibetan areas of Gansu province, where scores of Tibetans were killed, in an attempt to curb demonstrations and arrest protesters.
(reported by TCHRD, 21 March 2008)

Taktsang Lhamo Kirti monastery, Dzoge county (Chin: Ruanggui/Zoige Xian) at Tuesday, 08 April 2008

by TCHRD — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:58:14 +0200

Ngaba TAP authorities indefinitely closed down the school run by Taktsang Lhamo Kirti monastery on 8 April due to the participation by a number of its students, along with senior monks of the monastery, in a protest at Dzoge county headquarters on 15 March. The school’s 504 students – novice monks below the age of 18 and children from poor surrounding nomadic areas which lack education facilities – were sent back to their homes and families.
(reported by TCHRD, 17 April 2008)

Lhasa at Thursday, 03 April 2008

by ICT — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:52:59 +0200

Dates unspecified in ICT report of 3 April: Work units all over the city have been required to write denunciations of the riots and protests in the city and of the “Dalai Clique”, and support government policies in the TAR.
Some Tibetans taken into custody after 14 March have more recently been released from detention; they had been subjected to aggressive interrogation, as well as being severely beaten in custody and deprived of food and water. Other families have no idea of the whereabouts of their relatives or friends after they were detained.
(reported by ICT, 03 April 2008)

Sera monastery, Lhasa at Monday, 28 April 2008

by Xinhua/China Daily — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:49:39 +0200

Sera monastery re-opened to both worshippers and tourists on Monday 28 April, having been closed since the “unrest in the regional capital” on 14 March 2008. Buddhist services at the monastery resumed on 20 April.

“In recent days, the monks have been taught legal knowledge and the monastery has resumed its normal religious activities”, according to Tenzin Namgyal, deputy director of the Tibet autonomous regional ethnic and religious affairs committee. He added, “It’s the first monastery in Lhasa to reopen to outsiders. The others will follow suit in the future. Many [Chinese] tourists and worshippers came to the monastery today, and many more are expected in the coming days”.

A tourist from Guangzhou claimed: “I have been in Lhasa for two days. Life here is back to normal”.
(reported by Xinhua/China Daily, 30 April 2008)

Beijing, Central University for Nationalities at Monday, 17 March 2008

by Reuters — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 06:07:50 +0200

Dozens of ethnic Tibetan students at Central University for Nationalities staged a candle-lit vigil; police kept reporters away from the protest; vigil broken up by authorities, hours before Lhasa deadline.
(reported by Reuters, 18 March 2008)

Beijing, Central University for Nationalities at Monday, 17 March 2008

by RFA — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 06:06:53 +0200

Circa 17 March, around 40 students (of the 2,000 students in the Tibetan studies department) staged a silent protest to mourn the people killed or injured in Tibet. The police arrived and held the students in their classrooms. No further details.
(reported by RFA, 17 March 2008)

Barkham county (Chin: Maerkang Xian) at Wednesday, 19 March 2008

by CTA — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 06:04:34 +0200

Repeating an incident two days earlier, students from a higher secondary school in Barkham county flew the Tibetan flag at their school on 19 March.
(reported by CTA, 19 March 2008)

Bame (Chin: Bamei), Dawu county (Chin: Daofu Xian) at Monday, 10 March 2008

by Woeser blog/chinadigitaltimes — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 06:04:00 +0200

Circa 10 March: a protest was stopped by a large number of armed police. No further details available.
(reported by Woeser blog/chinadigitaltimes, 18 March 2008)

Ba-Chodae monastery, Bathang county (Chin: Batang xian) at Wednesday, 02 April 2008

by Tibet Watch — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 06:03:23 +0200

Local authorities ordered the monks to gather for a meeting at 10am; they were addressed by twenty seven PAP personnel. The monks were required to sign documents denouncing the Dalai Lama, stating that he organised and encouraged the recent protests in Tibet; the monks refused; the police arbitrarily arrested four monks, including Ngonro Yeshe and Jigme Dorjee, the highest Buddhist scholar at the monastery; they were accused of being counter-revolutionaries and taken to Bathang police station. The monastery was reportedly under tight security.
(reported by Tibet Watch, 01 May 2008)

Chabcha county (Chin: Gonghe Xian) at Sunday, 16 March 2008

by CTA — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 06:02:38 +0200

Demonstrations.
(reported by CTA, 17 March 2008)

Atso monastery, Chabcha at Saturday, 22 March 2008

by sources to RFA — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 06:02:11 +0200

Atso monastery is home to about 100 monks. They began a demonstration at around 11.15am; raised Tibetan flags; gathered on a hill adjacent to the monastery; burned incense; raised slogans: “Freedom for Tibet”, “Long live the Dalai Lama”, “Release the Panchen Lama”. They marched to the township centre, removed Chinese flag at the government school and burned it, and returned to the monastery. Three trucks of police personnel then arrived; monks threatened with “serious consequences” if they continued their protest and told: “with just one phone call, we can finish you”. The monks shouted that they can no longer bear Chinese repression and are ready to sacrifice their lives. The head lama and young Rinpoche of the monastery then calmed the monks down. No reported detentions or shootings. The local population also gathered to join the monks, but were blocked by security personnel in two different locations.
(reported by sources to RFA, 24 March 2008)

Amchok Tsennyi Gon monastery, Marthang county (Chin: Hongyuan xian) at Monday, 17 March 2008

by Tibet Watch — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 06:00:32 +0200

More than one thousand monks took part in a demonstration at Amchok Tsennyi Gon monastery to protest against Chinese rule in Tibet; slogans included “Free Tibet”, “Long live the Dalai Lama” and “Chinese get out of Tibet”. Armed police “moved toward the monastery” to stop the peaceful protest; at around 6pm, two monks were reportedly shot dead; the protesters “continued in a peaceful manner” but the Chinese authorities continued to “crack down violently”.
(reported by Tibet Watch, 01 May 2008)

Atob monastery, Ngaba county (Chin: Aba Xian) at Sunday, 30 March 2008

by sources to RFA — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:59:53 +0200

Exact date unknown, but reports reached India on 30 March that Atob monastery had been raided and 17 monks detained, their whereabouts unknown.
(reported by sources to RFA, 31 March 2008)

Alle township, Luchu county (Chin: Luqu Xian) at Sunday, 16 March 2008

by TibetInfoNet — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:56:20 +0200

Protests, no details available
(reported by TibetInfoNet, 21 March 2008)

Adhue monastery, Ngaba county (Chin: Aba Xian) at Saturday, 29 March 2008

by CTA — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:56:02 +0200

A group of monks were arrested while PAP personnel searched Adhue monastery.
(reported by CTA, 30 March 2008)

Achok Tse-nyi monastery, Ngaba county (Chin: Aba Xian) at Sunday, 30 March 2008

by CTA — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:55:35 +0200

Achok Tse-nyi monastery was searched by PAP personnel; a group of monks were arrested.
(reported by CTA, 30 March 2008)

Achok township, Sangchu county at Thursday, 03 April 2008

by agamsgecko.blogspot.com — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:54:57 +0200

About 200 truckloads of soldiers arrived at Achok township and surrounded Achok monastery. About 15 monks were arrested. In total about 30 monks from Achok monastery are in prison [Note: the source provides no further details about the other 15 monks currently in detention].
(reported by agamsgecko.blogspot.com, 06 April 2008)

Achok township, Marthang county (Chin: Hongyuan Xian) at Tuesday, 18 March 2008

by TCHRD — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:53:30 +0200

1pm, peaceful protested by over one hundred Tibetans; led by monks of Achok Tsenyi monastery and joined by laypeople of Achok township; Chinese national flag at township government headquarters replaced with Tibetan national flag; independence and pro-Dalai Lama slogans. PSB ordered an end to demonstration, to no avail. Truckloads of armed police arrived; no information on arrests.
(reported by TCHRD, 19 March 2008)

Achok monastery, Sangchu county (Chin: Xiahe Xian) at Sunday, 16 March 2008

by CTA — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:52:08 +0200

Protests were held at Achok monastery.
(reported by CTA, 17 March 2008)

Sera monastery, Lhasa at Sunday, 16 March 2008

by Tibet Watch — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 23:40:18 +0200

Sera monastery’s monks warned by “authorities in the People’s Armed Police” that any further protests will be met with a violent response.
(reported by Tibet Watch, 01 May 2008)

Holkha township, Tsigorthang county (Chin: Xinghai Xian) at Friday, 28 March 2008

by Tibet Watch — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:47:16 +0200

In response to protests in front of the township government building on 27 March, around five hundred “Chinese military soldiers” were deployed between 3 and 4am on 28 March to prevent further protest.
(reported by Tibet Watch, 01 May 2008)

Holkha township, Tsigorthang county (Chin: Xinghai Xian) at Thursday, 27 March 2008

by Tibet Watch — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:46:44 +0200

At least six hundred Tibetans gathered in front of the township government building and protested peacefully, demanding the unconditional release of the three Tibetans arrested on 26 March. They promised to continue their protests until those detained were released.
(reported by Tibet Watch, 01 May 2008)

Holkha township, Tsigorthang county (Chin: Xinghai Xian) at Wednesday, 26 March 2008

by Tibet Watch — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:46:16 +0200

Following demonstrations on 25 March, five trucks of “Chinese military soldiers” surrounded every village [presumably every village of Holkha township] before dawn on 26 March and arrested three Tibetans:

Ribum Gyal,male.
Tsewang, male.
(an unidentified female).
(reported by Tibet Watch, 01 May 2008)

Holkha township, Tsigorthang county (Chin: Xinghai Xian) at Tuesday, 25 March 2008

by Tibet Watch — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:45:36 +0200

Monks and Tibetan students staged a peaceful protest outside Holkha township; at least one thousand local Tibetans took part; most held pro-Tibet independence banners; shouted “We need democracy and human rights in Tibet” and “We are supporting those peaceful Tibetan demonstrators who have been killed by the Chinese military in their crackdown in Lhasa and other areas in Tibet”.
(reported by Tibet Watch, 01 May 2008)

Lutsang monastery, Mangra county (Chin: Guinan xian) at Tuesday, 11 March 2008

by Tibet Watch — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:44:44 +0200

Local authorities arrived at the monastery to investigate the protest that occurred on 10 March. The number of police stationed at the monastery was increased.
(reported by Tibet Watch, 01 May 2008)

Lutsang monastery, Mangra county (Chin: Guinan xian) at Monday, 10 March 2008

by Tibet Watch — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:44:16 +0200

Almost 400 monks protested in Lutsang monastery from 10am until 1pm; slogans included “Free Tibet” and “Dalai Lama return to Tibet”. There were no arrests reportedly because the monastery is located “quite far” from the local administrative centre [however, police are apparently stationed at the monastery].
(reported by Tibet Watch, 01 May 2008)

Kirti monastery, Ngaba county (Chin: Aba Xian) at Saturday, 29 March 2008

by Tibet Watch — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:43:03 +0200

According to the Chinese government, a weapons cache was found; however, it is not uncommon for monasteries in Tibet to hold weapons which have been surrendered by “ordinary Tibetans” upon taking vows not to commit any unvirtuous actions such as hunting or fighting in future.
(reported by Tibet Watch, 01 May 2008)

Kirti monastery, Ngaba county (Chin: Aba Xian) at Thursday, 27 March 2008

by Tibet Watch — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:42:21 +0200

Hundreds of armed police entered Kirti monastery; around eight or nine troops took control of each monk and his residence, and searched for material considered “anti-Chinese” such as Tibetan flags and Dalai Lama photographs; the monks were confined to their rooms.
(reported by Tibet Watch, 01 May 2008)

Ngaba county (Chin: Aba Xian) at Wednesday, 19 March 2008

by Tibet Watch — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:41:40 +0200

Police called from loud speakers mounted on their cars for leaders of the recent demonstrations to surrender to the authorities; those who themselves in would be treated leniently; those who possessed arms would be rewarded for handing them over to the authorities [not specified whether Ngaba county or Ngaba town].
(reported by Tibet Watch, 01 May 2008)

[Ngaba TAP] at Monday, 17 March 2008

by Tibet Watch — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:41:15 +0200

More than a hundred nomads from Meruma nomadic tribe in Ngawa prefecture demonstrated; three people badly injured, eleven arrested.
(reported by Tibet Watch, 01 May 2008)

Update: Punitive expeditions

TibetInfoNet — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Despite the information blackout that has been imposed over the Tibetan areas of the PRC since the unrest of Spring 2008, sufficient details can be gathered from diverse sources inside Tibet to present a clear picture of the ensuing repression. Chinese media project an image of suspected lawbreakers being singled out for a clinical and efficient judicial response. This contrasts to the depiction that has emerged from independent sources, which suggests that whole sections of the Tibetan population assumed to have been at least sympathetic to the unrest, in particular monks and nomads, have been targeted. The official version that any unrest was the work of a "small group of splittists" therefore appears to be a claim the authorities themselves do not believe; rather they appear to be fully aware that the disturbances are the result of a general rejection of existing policies and a direct challenge to how China rules Tibet. The harsh approach taken by security forces on the ground, including the looting of cultural and personal property, and intimidation and subjugation, through measures ranging from arbitrary fines to torture, appears to be, if not encouraged, then tolerated by the PRC leadership. The strategy is strongly reminiscent of the type of 'punitive expeditions' undertaken historically by colonial powers with the aim of punishing those who had disturbed the imposed order and deterring others from fomenting further unrest, thus underlining the impossibility of maintaining a non-consensual alien rule by anything but force.

Update: Sowing dissent and undermining the Dalai Lama

TibetInfoNet — Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 +0200

The Tibetan Buddhist deity, Dorje Shugden, whose worship can be traced back to the 17th century, is presenting the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administrations with problems that will simply not go away. The followers of the deity, though minor in terms of numbers, continue to attract labels of sectarianism and fundamentalism, which they counter with accusations of autocracy and intolerance on the part of the exiled Tibetan leadership in Dharamsala and the Dalai Lama in particular. Although arcane to outsiders, in recent years the dispute has had a disproportionate effect on contemporary Tibetan politics both inside and outside Tibet.

On 28 April 2008, Shugden devotees organised a press conference in New Delhi. The declared intention of the event was to publicly express concerns about the group�s perceived persecution at the hands of the Tibetan exile community. The speakers, however, were shrill in their criticism of the Dalai Lama, who they portrayed as an arbitrary ruler effectively preaching violence and responsible for the protests that took place in Tibet during spring 2008. Their condemnation echoed, in parts literally, comments made by the Chinese authorities against the Dalai Lama.

Dorje Shugden worship has always been divisive, but the controversy around it has heated up with the ostensible support of the Chinese authorities for its devotees within Tibet. The press conference in Delhi came after months of tension following the arrival in India of a group of Shugden followers from Tibet in Autumn 2007, i.e. long before the protests of spring 2008. It also appears to be connected to protests that Shugden devotees have vowed to carry out against the Dalai Lama in the West, particularly during his forthcoming visit to the UK where, with the New Kadampa Tradition, the group has its main western following.

Update: Diagnosing the Current Situation in Tibet. Interview with the Tibetan author Woeser

TibetInfoNet — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0200

The following is an interview with Tibetan writer Woeser (also Woser, Oeser, Oser; Ch: Weise). It was conducted in 2006 by Namlo Yak, another contemporary Tibetan writer, and who has been living in exile since 1999. The original interview was published on a Chinese website in Chinese language. The present version is an abridged English translation of that interview(1).
Woeser issued a press statement on 27 April 2008 explaining that her blog, woeser.middle-way.net, has been subjected to cyber attacks since 26 April, preventing her from logging on since then. Existing entries seem to have remained intact, however about 20 new entries have been posted on the comments page. Woeser therefore advised visitors to her website to "be careful with any of the postings after 1:30 am Beijing time, 27 April". Woeser�s website has recently been a key source for news about Tibet. Many recent reports disseminated by a diverse range of Tibet support groups source from this website. Meanwhile, Woeser continues to post current news about Tibet in Chinese language on another website, boxun.com.

Update: Setting the stage for dialogue

TibetInfoNet — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0200

China's official news agency Xinhua announced on 25 April 2008 that a meeting would take place "in the coming days" between "a private representative" of the Dalai Lama and "the relevant department of the central government". The announcement follows a series of statements by the Chinese authorities that portrayed themselves as "patiently keeping contact with the Dalai Lama side" while accusing the Tibetan leader of "destroying the base for dialogue".
Although the announcement, issued while China held consultations with the EU, is a conspicuous attempt at appeasement, the ground for dialogue with the Dalai Lama appears to have been laid in March 2008, prior to the Olympic torch relay debacle, with the declared purpose of co-opting the Dalai Lama's participation into easing current pressures. While it is too early to predict whether forthcoming talks will bear results and what those results might be, it is clear that another inconclusive round of dialogue would be unlikely to serve any of the parties concerned.

Update: Separating “friends and foes”

TibetInfoNet — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0100

With unrest continuing in Tibetan areas of the PRC, and recent cases reported in Tashi Lhunpo monastery in Shigatse, Drango county in Kardze TAP, Sichuan, and Holkha township in Tsolho TAP, Qinghai, the deployment of Chinese state security apparatus to suppress the protests is becoming more manifest. Following the appearance of clear evidence, the Chinese authorities have finally acknowledged that there have been casualties amongst protestors. They have assembled what appears to be the most massive force on the Tibetan plateau since the 1950s. However, still sketchy information suggests that the primary function of this force is not to cause further casualties but rather to intimidate the Tibetan population and to persuade it that any resistance is futile. Once the situation is stabilised, incentives are provided for denunciations, and heavy pressure, including the deprivation of life-sustaining supplies, is exerted in order to make the most active protesters surrender. This course of action will undoubtedly produce the �small group of instigators� required to match the official version of the protests. Meanwhile, the authorities have continued to make individuals and communities demonstratively denounce the Dalai Lama, repeating one of the prime causes of the unrest in the first place. By blocking information about the suppression of the disturbances from the media, Beijing has once again backtracked from its pledges to give free rein to foreign media(1). At the same time, the authorities have made symbolic gestures, like the sudden accessibility on Chinese computers of BBC News� English-language website since 25 March (the Chinese language section remained inaccessible), and a guided tour of Lhasa on 26 March for a few selected journalists. Nevertheless, the latter endeavour backfired when, during an unplanned encounter, monks braved the group�s minders and delivered emotional statements saying: �Tibet is not free�, and that the rioting on 14 March �had nothing to do with the Dalai Lama�. This demonstrates how Beijing�s aim of engineering a controlled flow of information coming out of and going into Tibet, is once again overtaken by the reality on the ground.

Update: Unrest in Amdo. Details of Luchu protests and unprecedented security build-up.

TibetInfoNet — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Reports from Tibet which have reached TibetInfoNet allow for a more vivid and detailed picture of the incidents which occurred in Luchu (Chin: Luqu), Kanlho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (TAP), Gansu province, between 16 and 18 March 2008. According to these reports, protests focussed here, as in many other places, against symbols of the Chinese state and remained peaceful. Meanwhile, an unprecedented security force with troops from mainland China has been building up in particular in the north-eastern Tibetan regions, referred by Tibetans as Amdo and which have emerged as the main centres of protests, at least since massive security measures succeeded in halting new protests in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa.

Update: “The world will not look away”. Demonstrations in Amdo Machu and region

TibetInfoNet — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Machu, Gansu, and other eastern Tibetan regions saw mass demonstrations on 16 March, continuing the pan-Tibetan protests that began on 10 March and have continued through the week. Unlike the ethnic clashes in Lhasa at the end of the week, the protestors� anger was largely focussed on symbols of the state power and government-owned properties.

Update: Unrest in Labrang and eastern Tibet

TibetInfoNet — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The ongoing unrest in Lhasa has been the focus of the major international media outlets in recent days. The current crisis in Tibet appears to be an unprecedented movement that has swept through many locations across the Tibetan regions of the People�s Republic of China (PRC), unsurprisingly raising strong concerns in Beijing. Labrang (Chin: Xiahe), for instance, one of the main centres in the traditional Tibetan province of Amdo, today part of the PRC�s Gansu Province, has emerged as one of the epicentres of the movement. On Saturday 15 March 2008, a protest rally took place in Labrang, carrying forward demonstrations which started the day before in apparent response to the protests in Lhasa. However, unlike in Lhasa on Friday, the Labrang protest was marked by political demands only, and did not result in ethnic clashes.

Update: Yartsa gunbu, Tibet’s underground cash cow

TibetInfoNet — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0100

On 14 February 2008, the government of Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Chin: Goluo), Qinghai Province, publicly announced that from this year no outsiders would be allowed to enter the prefecture in order to collect yartsa gunbu (Cordyceps sinensis; caterpillar fungus). Although such a policy has supposedly been on the books since the late 1990s, it was not enforced in Golog to the dismay of local Tibetans, many of whom perceived the annual invasion of ten thousands of outside collectors to be poachers of their resources. The prefecture administration had, however, been collecting higher and higher fees from those outsiders, often a multiple of the official local annual income.

News from 02 August 2008 to 15 August 2008

TibetInfoNet — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

News from 19 July 2008 to 01 August 2008

TibetInfoNet — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

News from 05 July 2008 to 18 July 2008

TibetInfoNet — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

News from 21 June 2008 to 04 July 2008

TibetInfoNet — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0200

News from 07 June 2008 to 20 June 2008

TibetInfoNet — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0200

News from 24 May 2008 to 06 June 2008

TibetInfoNet — Sat, 24 May 2008 00:00:00 +0200

News from 10 May 2008 to 23 May 2008

TibetInfoNet — Sat, 10 May 2008 00:00:00 +0200

News from 26 April 2008 to 09 May 2008

TibetInfoNet — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0200

News from 12 April 2008 to 25 April 2008

TibetInfoNet — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0200

News from 29 March 2008 to 11 April 2008

TibetInfoNet — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0100

News: Visa fees for Chinese nationals in Nepal

TibetInfoNet — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

(Kathmandu Post) Under a new amendment of Nepal's immigration regulations, Chinese nationals have to pay a visa fee for short stays in Nepal. Previously, there was a provision of not charging visa fees to nationals of all South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member countries and China for three days. Under the new amendment, SAARC nationals are given visa-fee waivers for 30 days, but Chinese national have to pay a visa fee even for a one-day stay in Nepal as Chinese authorities did not reciprocate the previous arrangements made by Nepal.

News: Asia's second largest copper mine to open in Tibet

TibetInfoNet — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

(Xinhua) Production of the largest proven copper deposit in the PRC will start in Chamdo (Chin: Changdu) prefecture in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) in September, after two years of preparation, said a senior industry official in Tibet. Yang Qianrang, an industrial planning official with the regional economic commission, said that a production line with an annual capacity of 10,000 tons of refined copper has been built at the Yulong Copper Mine. The mine, with a proven deposit of 6.5 million tons of copper will be the second largest in Asia, and upon completion in 2010 is expected to produce 30,000 tons annually.

News: Tibetan nun mishandled in detention in Nepal

TibetInfoNet — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

(Tibet Sun) Sonam Deki, a 43-year-old nun, was severely beaten by police while she was detained at Boudha police station in Kathmandu following her participation in a demonstration in front of the Chinese embassy on 14 August 2008. Deki was among four Tibetans detained at the police station. She was handcuffed and beaten by three or four policemen who forcefully stuck their bamboo sticks in her mouth and hit her with rifle butts on her legs. She was also punched and kicked all over her body, causing profuse bleeding in the night, forcing the police to take her twice to hospital. She was later forced to consume painkillers by the police. She was released around 13:00 on 15 August. Tibetan volunteers rushed her to a hospital, and her condition is said to be serious.

News: French Foreign Minister will meet the Dalai Lama

TibetInfoNet — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

(AFP; AP) French media reports that Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner will meet the Dalai Lama who is giving a series of teachings in France till 23 August. French President Nicolas Sarkozy's office have already said he will not meet with the Dalai Lama saying he did not ask to meet with the president during his 11-day visit to France. The Mayor of Nantes, where the Dalai Lama will be giving teachings, has said that he will raise the Tibetan flag over the city hall for the duration of his visit. Beijing called on France to carefully handle the "sensitive" issue of Tibet. "China's position on the Tibetan issue is consistent and clear", the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement, and "we hope that France will pay attention to China's concerns [and] carefully handle the related important and sensitive issue", it said.

News: Tibetan monks confined during Games

TibetInfoNet — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

(AFP; RFA) Authorities in Tibetan areas have placed a curfew on Tibetan Buddhist monasteries during the Olympics, forbidding Tibetans from travelling to Beijing and confining some monks around the clock, Radio Free Asia (RFA) sources say. "Since the beginning of August, many monks have been confined to their monasteries day and night", a spokesman for the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in Dharamsala said. He also said monks at Drepung monastery in Lhasa, had been cut off from contact with the outside world. Monks near the Kumbum monastery in Xining told Agence France-Presse that the railway station had refused to sell them tickets and e-mail services to the monastery have also been discontinued until after the Olympics.

News: Border sealing triggers food crisis in northern Nepal

TibetInfoNet — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

(The Himalayan Times, The Times of India) More than 15,000 people in the Nepalese districts of Sankhuwasabha, Taplejung and Gorkha have run out of rice, salt, oil and other essentials due to the sealing of the Nepal-Tibet border since 22 May 2008. These areas depend heavily on supplies from Tibetan towns like Dendang, Riu, Jonga and Kongdang to purchase essentials, since trips to the next markets in Nepal take up to seven days. Some border check-post re-opened on 10 July to ease the food shortage, but they were closed again after three days in order to check infiltrations into Tibet before and during the Beijing Summer Olympics. A local Nepali official is quoted as saying he was confident that the border check-posts would be re-opened after the Olympics end. Meanwhile, Nepalis doing trade with Tibetan border towns have seen their business plummet.

News: "Hybrid Tibetan-Peking opera" set for last days of Olympics

TibetInfoNet — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

(Xinhua) Liu Can, spokeswoman with the Meilanfang Grand Theatre announced that the National Peking Opera Theatre and the Tibetan Opera Troupe will, from 21-23 August 2008, stage a performance retracing the journey of Princess Wencheng to Tibet as "one of the key cultural performances during the Beijing Olympic Games". Wencheng, a Tang dynasty princess became one of the wives of the seventh century Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo. The episode is widely seen in the PRC as having "formed close economic and cultural relations [between Tibet and China], laying the groundwork for the ultimate unified nation". Liu said the story would be dramatised in a mix of Tibetan and Peking operas. "Instruments like drums and cymbals of Tibetan opera will be merged into the orchestra of Peking opera. There will also be duet and harmonic vocals featuring both singing styles", said Liu. "We will carry on the luxurious visual styles of both operas. Dragon robes and brocades from Peking opera will be presented along with the loose-bodied, luminous Tibetan clothes". The Tibetan roles will be played by professional Tibetan opera actors in the Tibetan language, while the Chinese ethnic roles will be played by Peking opera peers in Mandarin.

News: Shooting of two Tibetan women adds to tension in Ngaba

TibetInfoNet — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

(FTC; SFT) The Free Tibet Campaign (FTC) reports that two Tibetan women received gunshot wounds in Ngaba town in Ngaba (Chin: Aba) county. FTC said "reliable sources" told them that Sonam Wangmo, from Ngaba county, and Zhang Yeying, Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (TAP) shopping in the afternoon when shots were fired, hitting Sonam Wangmo in the arm and Zhang Yeying in the hand. FTC's source said four or five shots had been fired from a nearby building known to be accommodating troops recently quartered in the town. Tibetans who went to the assistance of the women reported that the Chinese troops claimed that the firing had been a mistake. The women's present medical condition is unknown.

News: Tibet Sun launched

TibetInfoNet — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

(TibetInfoNet) Tibet Sun, a new Tibetan information medium was launched in Dharamsala, India. The launch was synchronised with the start of the Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Tibet Sun is internet based and provides news and reports with a special focus on Tibet. It is run by Tibetan journalist and photojournalist Lobsang Wangyal, who is also known as the producer of several cultural events in the Tibetan exile community. Wangyal also wrote the first OpEd for Tibet Sun: "Time is running out for China".

News: Tibetans and supporters protest against Olympics

TibetInfoNet — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

(TibetInfoNet) Tibetan exiles and their supporters held demonstrations across the world to mark the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games. Supporters began staging symbolic protests in Beijing itself, and to date have staged them in Tiananmen Square, outside the Olympic Stadium, at the Chinese Ethnic Culture Park and outside the CCTV Building. There were protests in Europe, North America and in a number of towns in India, with 3,000 marching in Dharamsala and up to 150 monks attempting to storm the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi. Demonstrations were also held in Hong Kong and daily demonstrations continue in Kathmandu.