Source: C.S.P.T. (Comite de Soutien au Peuple Tibetain - France)

Report from a known, reliable contact in Tibet. Source : CSPTF REPORT ON TIBET / September 1996

MONASTERIES

Re-education is still going on in Sera : it takes place on the first floor of the Tsochen, started at 3.00 p.m. and ended at about 4.00 p.m. Monks had 2 white books. They also had a 2 page document, printed in Tibetan, similar to an application form. They were filling it. They were sitting on the ground and 2 Tibetan in lay clothes, wearing Chinese sunglasses were teaching the monks.

There is a new factory, east of Sera, on the other side of a small ridge, that sends a lot of smoke (similar to Drepung Cement Factory "Sunyitrang") This can be seen from the Potala !

MINES BETWEEN NAGARTSE AND GYANTSE

The road the Chineses started to build last year is now open. It goes up and North the old road which followed the river and from where we could see huge holes in the mountains. Taking the new road means not being able to watch these mines entries. Workers are mainly Tibetans. They make fall very big pieces of the mountain. It seems a very dangerous work. The next village on the road was last year consisting in a gathering of few cement houses with iron roofs (military). It had spread a lot. there is also a big new cement factory. They are also building a new road.

It seems a very busy place, with a lot of Chinese soldiers and some Tibetans. These soldiers were working at fixing and widening the road, further down to Gyantse. They worked with caterpillars and with shovels.