Central Tibetan Administration, Dharamsala

Reports of Seven Tibetans Arrested in Tibet for "counter revolutionary activities" recently received from Tibet The Human Rights Desk has just received information confirming the arrests and detention of seven Tibetans in Tibet. Details of the arrests and personal particulars of the seven Tibetans, including photo's of six of them are given below.

The public suspect a connection between the arrests and the preparations for the so-called "TAR" 30th anniversary celebrations ( September 1, 1995 ). Five of the arrests occurred in and around Lhasa during the period between July - September 1995. The Chinese around this time launched a major crackdown against Tibetan activities, in preparation of the "TAR" 30th anniversary celebrations held on September 1st.

NAME : DAWA (OR SHOLPA DAWA AS PEOPLE USUALLY CALL HIM)

Personal details

Age : 55 years old

Residence : Lhasa City at Forward Street, Gate no. I, 7th Sector Occupation: Worked as a construction laborer for sometime after 1959 and afterwards worked for most of the time as a private tailor.

Family details : Sometime in August, 1987, his wife, Lhakpa Dolma, died while he was in prison. Dawa has a son called Samdup and a daughter named Nyidon, who escaped into exile in 1992 and now studying sewing in Dharamsala, India. Nyidon has written a letter of appeal ( letter of appeal no.1 ), on behalf of her family. The letter produced below, is addressed to international organisations and urges the international community to call for the immediate release of her father, Sholpa Dawa and to support the just cause of Tibet.

Arrest and Imprisonment

Between 1975-1976, denied political rights.

On September 29, 1981 he was arrested and sentenced to two years imprisonment and deprived, again, of all his political rights for one year. During his two years imprisonment, he spent 6 months in Gurtsa prison and one and half years in Sangyip prison. The Document 17 of the T.A.R. Lhasa Middle People's Court gave the verdict in the first session of the trial in 1982:

" Dawa with defendant Lobsang Choedrak and Tsering Lhamo met together and secretly planned to write a circular on the independence of Tibet. They contacted a friend called Lobsang Wangchuk who related to them the independent status of Tibet's history and as requested helped them write a circular titled "Twenty Years of Tragic Experience". After that Dawa told his uncle and Kunsang who were working in the Metal & Wood Co-operative Society Programme to type the contents of the circular. Dawa, pretending that he was making copies of a religious manuscripts borrowed a cyclo-styling machine from the Co-operative and made about 260 copies of pro-independence posters in his own home. Later he distributed it with the help of Dhondup Dorjee and Lobsang Choedrak. Dawa had also printed a picture of Tibet's national flag on top of the circular and underneath it he had written "The Snow Lion flag when Tibet was independent".

After his release, as was required of all prisoners, he had to work as a labourer for one year in a brick-kiln at Nyethang.

On November 8, 1985, he was arrested for a second time. This time he was sentenced to 4 years in Sangyip prison and was deprived of all his political rights for the duration of one year. In 1985, the T.A.R. Middle People's Court, Document No. 2, of the first session of Dawa's trial concluded that:

" On June 28, 1985, Dawa wrote with his own hand, some ten copies of a circular denouncing the deteriorating living conditions of 6 million Tibetans and the anti-secular foreign (Chinese) invasion of Tibet. He also wrote 30 copies of pro-independence posters and on July 1985 stuck up all of them in front of T.A.R. Song & Dance Society, Lhasa Cathedral ground, schools, T.A.R. 2nd reception centre, road crossings, Lukhang lake site, crossroads, Gate no. 10 of Barkhor Southwest Meru Street, and other newly established schools and their premises". Dawa was indicted along with eight other young Tibetans namely Samdup (a tailor), Phurbu Tsering (an employee of China Travel Service), Pendon (a nun in the Sangkhung Nunnery), Dhadon (an employee of the Reception Committee, who had previously been imprisoned for 1 year in Gurtsa prison), Dawa Wangdue (studied in the Suja Tibetan School and after passing Xth grade went back to Tibet in 1993 and since then unemployed), Lobsang Dolma, Lhamo Dolker and Nyidon (she esca

ped into exile in 1992 and now works as a tailor). Lobsang Dolma and Lhamo Dolker having availed of the opportunity to study in India are presently studying in Upper Tibetan Children's Village School, Dharamsala India. After his release from Sangyip prison, he worked as a private tailor.

He was arrested for the third time, in Lhasa, sometime in the early part of August, 1995.

NAME : TENZIN

Personal details

Age : 58 years old

Birthplace : Namling, near Shigatse, U-Tsang

Residence : Lhasa, Drapchi Neighbourhood Committee (Earlier called 4th Work Brigade of the North Lhasa Tsang - Relshang Red Flag People's Commune) Occupation: Tenzin was a monk in the Tsangpa House of Sera Monastery before 1959. After 1959, he worked as a treasurer and accountant in the above mentioned work brigade. Between 1982-1986, Tenzin worked as an attendant in Drapchi Lhamokhang. After 1990, worked for the restoration of Sera Monastery's Tsangpa House. He came on a pilgrimage to India in 1985 and in 1993.

Family details: Tenzin's daughter Lobsang Choedon ( she has written a letter of appeal, Letter of appeal no.2, for her fathers release which we have included in this update) is currently studying at the Buddhist Dialectics school near Sara in Dharamsala.

Arrest and Imprisonment:

In 1988, Tenzin was arrested and accused of contacting foreigners and was imprisoned for one year in Gurtsa prison.

On the night of July 12, 1995, Tenzin was again arrested for the second time, accused of engaging "counter revolutionary" activities. He was forcibly removed from his house, which was thoroughly searched by the police. His son Sonam Tsering's room in Sera Monastery was also searched.

As soon as the news of her father's arrest reached Lobsang Choedon,in India, she appealed to various international human rights organizations to campaign for the release of her father and other Tibetan political prisoners in Tibet. (other Tibetans who were arrested in recent years are Tibetan teacher Kunchok Tenzin from Sog county, Phuntsok from Dakyab, Tachen from Tehor-Dhargyes monastery, Sidshi, Rigzin Wangyal and his relatives i.e., Wangchuk, Trasil, Dartruk and mother Penchoe all of who are from Lhasa and finally Dolker Kyab from the Machu region of Amdo).

NAME: PHUNTSOK

Personal details

Age: 50 years old

Birth place: Dakyab

Residence: Lhasa Granary, Outer Gate. 27, Inner Gate. 9

Occupation: As a child, he was a young novice monk in Ratoe monastery. During the Cultural Revolution, he was a stonecutter, after which he engaged in petty business for sometime.

Family details: Phuntsok is married to 34-year old Kalsang Lhamo who was born in Lokha. Due to unfavorable political circumstances, she couldn't stay in Tibet and managed to escape into India as a refugee. She is at present in the United States.

Arrest and Imprisonment: He was reported to have been arrested in July, 1995 and his whereabouts is unknown but he is most probably in Seitru prison, prison No. 4 of the Drapchi prison system.

NAME: LODOE CHOENZOM (SIDSHI)

Personal details:

Layname: Sidshi

Ordained name: Lobsang Choenzom (nun)

Age: 35 years old

Birth Place: Lhasa

Residence: Michungri Nunnery, 3km North east of Lhasa.

Family: Mother's name is Dekyi Choenzom. Her father's name is unknown and he died during her childhood. Lobsang Choenzom's younger brother Lobsang Lekden who is presently studying in Sera Monastery in Bylakuppe, South India had escaped into exile after being involved in the 1987 Lhasa demonstrations while he was studying in Sera Monastery in Tibet. Her younger sister Tseten Dolker also escaped into exile in 1993 and is now studying sewing here in Dharamsala, India. On hearing news of her sisters arrest, Tseten Dolker expressed concern for her old mother who is above the age of sixty: " my sister, Lobsang Choenzom was the sole caretaker of our mother but now with the arrest of my sister, our mother will be left all alone with no one taking care of her. I am very worried about both my mother and sister ". Education: Lobsang Choenzom studied at the "Tromsikhang Middle School in Lhasa when she was young ( year not known ).

Arrest and Imprisonment

On September 27, 1987, she took part in the Lhasa demonstration. During the demonstration, she witnessed a child around 11-12 years old being shot at by the Chinese officials. On witnessing this, she felt very angry and went and demonstrated right in front of the TAR headquarters. As a result of her actions, she was detained for 4-5 days by the Chinese authorities. However later, police officials came to her home and officially arrested her, dragging her out of her bed while she was sleeping. She was then detained in Gurtsa prison for 5-6 months. reliable sources reported at the time, that she was badly tortured while in prison. The Chinese beat her, kicked her, whipped her with iron chains and made her drag heavy motor tyres and stones tied around her neck. As a result of torture and ill-treatment in prison, one of her kidneys was totally damaged and while walking, she had to support the other kidney with her hands to lessen the pain. Also it was noticed that after her release from prison, she constantly h

ad headaches and on the whole her physical health had deteriorated tremendously thus making her physically weak.

She was arrested for the second time in February/March 1994. This time she was detained in police custody for only a few days and then released. It has been reported that she was again arrested ( for the third time ) before the September 1, 1995 so-called "TAR anniversary celebrations".

NAME: TACHEN

Personal Details:

Age: 46 years old

Birthplace: Tehor (Ganze), Kham

Family details: Tachen's father, Nyima Tsering, was a farmer and later a vehicle driver by occupation. His late mother's name was Tsewang Lhamo. Their family name is Zestrulapadtsang. Tachen's daughter, Phurbu Lhamo and son Lobsang Lungtok are at present studying in Central School for Tibetans in Mussourie.

Arrest:

Tachen was reported to have been arrested in September, 1995.

NAME: DROLKER KYAB

Personal details:

Age: 25 years old

Residence: Machu county of Kanlho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in southern Gansu, ( Amdo).

Family: His father's name is Ta'bu

Education: At the age of ten, Drolker Kyab studied at the Ngulragongma Primary school but later left the school to take Tibetan classes from an uncle at his home. He escaped to India through Nepal and there he studied for two years at the Suja Transit School near Dharamsala, India and due to his high standard in Tibetan, was appointed a teacher in a primary school in Chauntra Tibetan Settlement in India. In March, 1994, he returned back to Tibet and enrolled in the Northwest Nationalities University for two years after paying 4400 Chinese yuan as a fee.

Arrest and Imprisonment:

In March, 1995 when he had not even completed one year of study at the Northwest Nationalities University, he was accused of engaging in pro-independence activities and later in June 1995 he was arrested. He was tried and sentenced to 7 years imprisonment.

TIN reported on 18 September 1995 in a TIN news update that: "The police crackdown, known in Chinese as "striking a powerful blow", believed to have been running for the last three months, was declared a success in a local paper last week in Southern Gansu province". Drolker Kyab was cited as one of those arrested in the Chinese crackdown.

NAME: KUNCHOK TENZIN

Personal Details Age: 28-30 years old

Residence: Sog Dzong Yaklashang's 3rd Neighbourhood Committee in Nagchu region, (U-Tsang)

Occupation: Earlier he passed from Sog county's Middle School.

Arrest and Imprisonment:

Kunchok Tenzin was publicly accused, in November 1994, at a Nagchu School meeting for being the ringleader in the Chinese expulsion campaign which took place in July 1993 which was launched from Sog county. He was consequently arrested and was detained. He was not formally tried in court and is still languishing in prison.

LETTER OF APPEAL ( NO.1 ) FOR THOSE ARRESTED:

The following is a letter of appeal written by Nyidon, daughter of Sholpa Dawa, on October 20, 1995, addressed to international organisations. The appeal urges the international community to call for the immediate release of her father, Sholpa Dawa and support the just cause of Tibet.

"When I heard the news of my father's arrest, I was grief stricken with deep felt sadness and shock. The image of my father arose for a fleeting moment in my mind and I cried. The Chinese may organise grand celebrations of founding of the T.A.R. but the main reason behind this facade is only to let loose a reign of terror in Tibet. The Chinese set up kangaroo trials and randomly arrest and imprison Tibetans charging them of crimes they are not guilty of. Especially when the people exhibit open dislike for the Chinese regime, the Tibetans are denied the universal freedom of expression and instead are charged of being "counter-revolutionary" activists and subjected to relentless torture day and night. As my father is at the moment experiencing such intolerable harsh treatment, we (the children of Dawa) are filled with sorrow and yet not able to do anything to alleviate our father's sufferings.

" As our father has been arrested time and again, our family has had to go through a lot of difficult times. For example, my brother Samdup accused of being close to our father, was detained and thrashed on many occasions by the Public Security Personnel. Later he was forced to wear the reactionary dunce cap. And if one is accused of being reactionary, then the children of that so-called "reactionary" Tibetan are sure to have a dark and hopeless future. My brother's wife was forced to remain separated from her husband. My younger brother Phurbu Tsering for having anti-Communist opinions was expelled from his office. He was forced to work at a very low paying job. Ever since the first arrest of my father, Chinese security personnel have conducted numerous raids on our home and searched for items they say we possess. They even hung up one placard on which it was written "Counter-revolutionary Society". For taking off the placard, my sister was accused of expressing dissatisfaction and was imprisoned for more

than a year. Likewise my younger sisters and brothers were forbidden from attending school and so our dear mother died heartbroken unable to do anything. At that time, my father was in prison and we (the children of Dawa) had to live through the tragic experience by ourselves, although we cried a lot over our mother's dead body. For some years, we had no place to live or eat together. Finally with the help of our relatives, three of us managed to escape to India.

" This is the brief story of my family's tragic experience. The system of torture in the Chinese prison is like visiting hell on earth. For example, the Chinese jab at prisoners body with electric cattle prods, roll naked prisoners on a heap of thorns, cut daily food and set hungry dogs on chained prisoners. These sort of horrible experiences are being unleashed on my brave father who is now forced to undergo it for the love of one's fatherland. All the Tibetan prisoners are in a similar situation. All families of Tibetans prisoners are experiencing a similar kind of trauma that we have undergone.

" Finally we hope and appeal to the International organizations, Tibet support groups and individuals to pressure the Chinese to immediately release my father and most important of all to support the just cause of Tibet. We pray and earnestly hope for the turning of Tibet into a "Zone of Peace" under the leadership of H.H. the XIVth Dalai Lama.

signed Nyidon. (daughter of Sholpa Dawa)

LETTER OF APPEAL ( NO.2) FOR THOSE ARRESTED:

The following is a letter of appeal, written by Lobsang Choedon, daughter of 58-year old Tenzin, who was arrested on July 12 1995, requesting human rights organisations to lobby for the release of her father and the others arrested and also to initiate studies into reforming the Chinese prison system:

" It was with shock and sadness when I received the news, on 18 September this year, about the second arrest of my father in Tibet. At around 12 p.m. in the broad hours of daylight, during Zamling Chisang (Universal Prayer Day), my dear father, I am informed, was arrested by Public Security Personnel on suspicion of being involved in pro-independence movement. This was the second time he was arrested.

" Back in 1988, on the 20th day of the 1st month of Tibetan calender, at around 12 p.m. Beijing Standard Time, some 20 People's Armed Police (P.A.P.) raided our home. They turned our home upside down and even the ceilings were not spared, with them bayoneting every inch of it. The room where we slept and our father's bedroom were located separately and so the P.A.P. would not allow us to go near our father during the search. After a while, the Chinese police left our home and our mother came straggling into our room and slept for some time. Later she told us how our father was led away with his two hands tied behind his back by the Chinese. The whole house had been turned into a mess with household items indiscriminately thrown about. The following day, all the neighbourhood homes had been surrounded by soldiers with machine guns who manned the street corners and no one was allowed to stray outside their own home. Shots were fired as a warning, in order to instil a undercurrent of fear amongst the residents

.

" We inquired about the whereabouts of our father everywhere and luckily about a month later found that he was in Gurtsa prison. Soon after, my mother and younger sister went to visit him with homemade food for him, in the prison. As families and relatives of prison inmates were only allowed to meet once in a month we could only visit him once a month. On the third time of our allotted visit to the prison we had to wait for some time in the waiting room and after a while, my father came out with two security personnel who were guiding him. I was completely shocked by his appearance. Although he is my father, I couldn't recognize him because he had changed so much. He had turned so pale and had aged beyond recognition. We were allowed to speak for some ten minutes with the two guards hovering nearby within hearing distance. The parting afterward as always, was sad and tearful.

" I was 16 years old at that time and was studying at the IVth grade of the Middle school in Lhasa. Due to lack of evidence, he was released soon after, and we had such a nice time celebrating his release and our togetherness.

" So when I heard recently about the second arrest of my father, I was so stricken with grief and also felt a pang of guilt and regret. I escaped to India in 1991 in order to seek a good standard of education for myself and so I have not had the opportunity to be of use or service to my father. In a way I couldn't repay my father for all his kindness and lovingness.

" The harsh treatment that is meted out to the Tibetan prisoners by the Chinese authorities is so cruel and inhumane. It is so inhumane that my father at the age of 58 has to bear the numerous forms of brutalities and torture inside prison. He had always advised us about working for the community and did his level best to instil religious faith in us. He himself was not only a firm believer in Buddhism but also a devoted practitioner. This tragic case is not particular only to my father or my family but to all the Tibetans living inside Tibet. Many Tibetans are charged with unfounded crimes and consequently many children are left alone to fend for themselves. And in some cases, young Tibetans are put into prison and their old parents are left helpless with no one to care for them. This not only causes problems for the prisoners but also for the families and relatives of the prisoners.

Finally, I would like to request all the truth and freedom loving international organizations to take immediate steps to study the prison conditions in Tibet and take effective measures to pressure the Chinese into improving it."

signed Lobsang Choedon

daughter of Tenzin

Therefore the Human Rights desk would like to seek the intervention of Human rights groups and Tibet Support groups around the world, on our behalf, to appeal to the Tibet Autonomous region government to release the eight arrested without delay. Also we request readers to appeal to Amnesty International to take up these eight cases. Please write to :

President of Xizang Autonomous Chief of Xizang Autonomous

Regional People's Government Region Public Security Bureau

Gyaltsen Norbu Zhuxi Lhasashi 850000

Xizang Zizhiqu Renmin Zhengfu Xizang Zizhiqu

1 Kang'andonglu (People's Republic of China)

Lhasashi 850000

Xizang Zizhiqu (PRC)

Human Rights Desk

Department of Information

& International Relations

Central Tibetan Administration

Dharamsala 176 215 (H.P)

India

Please contact the above address for information on Tibet. We would also like to have any information on China's policy in Tibet and human rights situation in Tibet.