Date: Tue, 21 May 1996 10:41:35 +0200

Case CHN/TIB 200596

The International Secretariat of OMCT/SOS-Torture requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Tibet

Brief description of the situation:

Information from various reliable sources have informed the International Secretariat of their grave concern over a series of arrests and shootings during various incidents taking place in and around Lhasa in the Tibetan Autonomous Region.

The incidents are believed to be connected to attempts to implement a government instruction to remove pictures of the Exile leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, from temples.

On 7th May, following an attempt by officials to remove pictures of the Dalai Lama, fighting broke out between the monks and officials. 50 - 60 monks from Ganden Monastery were arrested. There are confirmed reports that at least three of the monks at Ganden were shot and wounded, one of them seriously, and a fourth is in a serious condition after being beaten by police on the head. At least five other Tibetans involved in that incident are believed to have broken limbs, and there are unconfirmed reports that a number of Chinese officials were also injured.

On Tuesday 14th May, 30 Nuns and up to 50 Others were "severely beaten" in the Lhasa area as monks and nuns continued resistance to the authorities imposition of ban on display of photographs of the exiled Dalai Lama.

News of the latest incident emerged when two truckloads of wounded monks and nuns were delivered to the emergency unit of the Lhasa People's Hospital No.1 at 11.30 pm on Tuesday night. Approximately 30 women and 15 men were unloaded from one of the trucks and taken into the hospital for treatment, accompanied by a police escort. The second truck was denied access, officials telling the driver to go elsewhere.

It is believed that 30 of the wounded were lay women or nuns, and about 15 were monks or laymen.

There are unconfirmed reports that monks were beaten at Ramoche temple in Lhasa on Tuesday, and some sources claim that there was unrest at Sera monastery two days previously. Both institutions are within 2 km of the hospital but neither institution includes nuns. There are three nunneries near the hospital - Chubsang, Garu and Michungri - which have a long history of pro-independence activism and initial reports of unrest at Garu nunnery have been received and may be related to the incident.

Actions requested:

Please write to the authorities of China urging them to:

i. order the immediate release of all those still detained and guarantee their physical and psychological integrity;

ii. guarantee an impartial and exhaustive inquiry into the facts, identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by legislation;

iii. ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with national laws and international standards.

Addresses:

LI Peng Zongli, Guowuyuan, 9 Xihuangchenggenbeijie, Beijingshi 100032, People's Republic of China. Telex : 210070 FMPRC CN or 22478 MFERT CN. Fax : + 86 10 512 5810 (via Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

LI Loalin Tinzhang, Director of the Department of Public Security, Gong'anting, Haila'er Donglu, Huhehaoteshi 010051, Nei Menggu Zizqu, People's Republic of China.

Diplomatic Representatives of the People's Republic of China in your respective countries.

Geneva, 20 May 1996

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.

Ben Schonveld

Projects Manager

OMCT - SOS Torture Tel: +41-22-733 31 40

Case Postale 119 Fax: +41 22-733 31 40

CH 1211 Geneva 20 Conf: omctsostorture@conf.igc.apc.org

Switzerland