06/02/97 07:25am
TIBETAN CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY
HUMAN RIGHTS UPDATE
Volume 11: Number 10
May 31, 1997
INDEPENDENCE: "A DAYLIGHT DREAM"
When Chinese officials enter your monastery, snatch away your freedom to practise your religious faith, replace your spiritual lessons with communist
ideology and finally scorn your dreams of national independence, it is
difficult to do nothing. When the Chinese work-team proclaimed: "Tibet's
independence is a daylight dream and is never to come true", Lobsang, a monk
in Dunbhu Choekhor Monastery, dared to defend his beliefs. For this he was
sentenced to four years imprisonment.
Lobsang, (ordained name Jamyang Kunga), is 25 years old and comes from
Lhangthang Dechen village in Namgyal shol township under Lhoka Gonkar
county. He arrived in Dharamsala, India, on 28 April 1997.
Lobsang joined Dunbhu Choekor Monastery, Lhoka Gongkar county, in 1987 at
the age of 15 and remained there for five years. In recent years, the
Chinese authorities have intensified their repressive policy through the
imposition of stringent regulations in the monastery. Lobsang said this
fuelled antagonistic feelings amongst the monks towards the Chinese
authorities and compelled them to openly express their opposition.
First, travel restrictions in Lobsang's monastery were intensified. For
instance, if a monk wished to travel to Lhasa, the authorities of the
monastery could grant "leave" for only one week and the monk must otherwise
seek permission from higher officials of the shang (township) or county.
Next, monks were compelled to abide by the principles of "love for religion
and country" and to oppose the "Dalai's splittist group".
Chinese flags hung from the roof top of the monastery and monks were
strictly warned not to remove them. Lobsang explained that the monks felt
their moral and ethical values and practices had been disrespected and
interfered with and such feelings gave rise to the idea of expressing their
frustration through pasting wall posters.
In November 1991 Lobsang and eight of his friends secretly pasted wall
posters on the wall of Chedeshol police station (Tibetan: Ngagthong Khang)
saying "Long live His Holiness the Dalai Lama"; "Tibet is independent";
"Work hard for Tibet's independence" and "Chinese quit Tibet".
So as to all be equally involved, each inscribed the poster; the first
person wrote the first two words then the second person continued with two
more words and so on. It was also hoped that this would confuse Chinese
officials when the handwriting was checked. Four of the group members were
from Dhunbu Choekor monastery: 22 year-old Dawa, 28 year-old Damdul, 28
year-old Tashi and Lobsang.
Again on 3 July 1992, the four painted slogans on the wall of a local bank
in Chedeshol and on the main public street. This time four other individuals
were involved: Damdul, Tashi Chungwa, Tashi Chewa, and Lobsang.
After 11 days, Lobsang and Choephel again attempted to write slogans, but
were interrupted after only one line. The next day, 27 year-old Chemey from
Dunbhu Choekhor and Lobsang again wrote slogans. Lobsang explained that usually when the Chinese officials called a meeting they would hang a huge banner reading " Tibet's independence is a daylight dream and is never to come true". So the group wrote on the wall "the one who wrote 'Tibet's independence is a daylight dream' is like a frog in a well" (a Tibetan expression signifying one who has narrow vision).
During the following days, Tashi Chungwa hinted in conversation about their
involvement in pasting the wall posters and was later taken by Public
Security Bureau (PSB) officials. He was interrogated twice but revealed
nothing of their activities. On 8 November 1992, Tashi was detained in
Nyethong Detention Centre (prison) in Tsethang .
On 18 November 1992, after Tashi Chungwa had been detained for 11 days,
Damdul, Tashi Chewa, and Lobsang were also taken into detention. A series of
interrogation sessions followed: PSB officials, the People's Procuracy,
prison officials and finally the People's Court. The PSB demanded: "Why were
you brought here?"; "What do you aim by Tibet's independence?" and "Who
asked you to do it?". Sometimes they were interrogated continuously for
hours, lasting from 10 am to 4 pm, and while being interrogated they were
kicked, slapped, and forced to hold their hand upraised for hours at a time.
The four were sentenced in April 1993. Lobsang was sentenced to four years
imprisonment and subsequent deprivation of political rights for one and half
years, of effect from their date of arrest on 18 November 1992. Tashi
Chungwa and Chemey were each sentenced to three years imprisonment and
subsequent deprivation of political rights for one year. Damdul was
sentenced to three and a half years imprisonment and subsequent deprivation
of political rights for one year.
Life in Drapchi prison
After five months of being detained in Nyethong prison, they were shifted to
Drapchi prison on 4 May 1993. On reaching Drapchi they were provided with a
book called "Book on Prison", which gave brief guidelines on the basic
conduct to be observed in the prison. All the prisoners had to study this
book for a week.
They were later forced to work in a green-house vegetable farm. During their
regular "exercise" sessions they were required to sing in Chinese: "one
must accept one's crime"; "one must work hard to reform" and "one must
again be a good citizen" .
Many prisoners refused to follow this, with the result that their head
would be shaved and they would be forced to stand in the sun with their
scalp burning. Sometimes they were made to stand continuously for six hours.
Lobsang reported that in 1996 many new prison regulations were issued in
Drapchi prison to make it more difficult for prisoners to receive visitors.
In early 1996, those who wished to visit their relatives in prison had to
seek a new pass from the prison officials. Earlier the pass issued from the
village or town authorities was sufficient.
From 20 May 1996, a small hole was made within the main gate of the prison.
The size of the hole was too small even for a head to fit through. It was
through this hole that the visitors had to see and talk to the prisoners.
When a meeting was allowed visitors were placed in a glass-walled cell which
had a capacity to accommodate only two people. From 20 October 1996,
visitors were limited to bringing only three items for prisoners: a tin of
milk, sugar and butter.
Lobsang was finally released on 17 November 1996 after completing his
sentence term.
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"BETWEEN THE SKY AND THE EARTH WHERE COMMUNIST CHINA RULES, NO
ONE IS TO REJOIN ANY MONASTERY"
These were the last words spoken to Norbu and the monks of Drigung Thil
Monastery before they were expelled. Below is his account of how Communist
rule has changed his monastery and life in Tibet.
My name is Norbu. I am 25 years old and am a former monk at the Drigung
Shetra dialectic school of Drigung Thil monastery, in Meldro Gongkar county.
On 4 June 1992* the school was formally opened and classes commenced with 28
students.
I joined this monastery when I was 13 years old, having just completed
lobchung (primary school). Before the 1966 Cultural Revolution, the
monastery had 1500 monks but afterwards the number fell to 500. At present
there are only 215 monks.
On 29 October 1994*, a compulsory meeting was held in Yari Gar township of
Meldro Gongkar by the Chinese officials. The purpose of the meeting was to
denounce the Dalai Lama. Many monks, unwilling to comply, left the meeting
when it was only halfway through. The Chinese, greatly offended, subsequently suspected us of being connected to an incident in June 1994 in which posters were stuck up in Nyima Shangdra township in Meldro County.
The police came for Sonam Tsering, a 27 year-old monk, alleging that he was
one of the main leaders of the poster campaign. Before he was taken away we
asked the officials for evidence. They refused. Two days later, five soldiers and ten policemen came and showed us guns in order to scare us. We told them that if they did not produce some evidence we would not let them take away Sonam Tsering and they left.
The next day two trucks and ten jeeps full of Chinese soldiers and police
came to the monastery. They numbered almost 200. On 2 November 1994, all the
monks demonstrated in front of the officials. But this time we were helpless. They not only took Sonam Tsering away but also stood guard, surrounding the whole monastery compound.
Sonam Tsering was taken to Gutsa Detention Centre and held there for two
years. He was not allowed any visitors and two policemen from Meldro were
kept in front of his cell to keep guard. Finally in June 1996* he was
sentenced to five years and transferred to Drapchi Prison.
At dawn on 9 November 1994, again around 200 police came and surrounded the
monastery in three circles: the outer circumambulation, the middle and the
innermost. They arrested three more monks: Norbu, 29 years old; Rinchen
Gyurme, 22 years old and Choeje, 27 years old, and charged them with hanging
posters.
On 28 March 1995, we were called for another meeting at the monastery.
Officials announced that "we should go back to where we came from" and that
"between the sky and the earth where Communist China rules no one is to
rejoin any monastery". They told us that in trying to keep us under control
they had spent 30,000 yuan which could otherwise have been used for the
development of the town. After our expulsion life was more difficult because
we had to procure permission for commuting even within cities.
On 8 March 1997, I decided to leave Tibet for good to receive religious
education and to practise my faith to my best capability. What worries me most is that the school from which we were expelled and which was later closed down is the only one of its kind in Tibet. Our teacher, now 60 years old, is the only living person who is thoroughly well-versed in the subject. The closure of this school means the end of another important religious study. I am hoping that a miracle will take place and the monastery reopened.
Population transfer
The influx of Chinese population into Tibet is now so great and the impact,
worse. Chinese language has almost replaced our mother tongue in various
places. In a place like Pae, about 300 km from Lhasa, one can not
differentiate between a Chinese and a Tibetan. When I enter a restaurant
there are people in Tibetan traditional costume but who speak only Chinese.
The Chinese have replaced the Tibetans to such an extent that in Tibet's
remote outskirts Chinese now come to trade for hides, an occupation
traditionally carried out by Tibetans. Chinese have also started to pick
herbal plants, also traditional Tibetan employment. Tibetans today even
swear in the name of Mao. Many Tibetan youngsters from schools and farms are recruited into the army where they are thoroughly indoctrinated. At a certain level of schooling there is a public exam. The only Tibetan children who pass are those who can afford to bribe the authorities. The children, deprived of sufficient education, have no positive future. They know nothing about farming and take to anti-social activities. It is heart breaking to see so many Tibetan
youngsters become useless and a burden on their families.
* These dates may not be exact as they have been converted from those of
the Tibetan lunar calendar.
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PROFILE : HE BARELY ESCAPED EXECUTION
In April 1995, Lodroe Gyatso was awaiting his execution as a result of staging a one-man independence demonstration while in Drapchi prison. The former dance artist was saved by his fellow prisoners who were able to smuggle the news of his impending death to the international community.
Lodroe Gyatso is a 37 year-old dance artist and three-times weight-lifting champion in Sok District in Nagchu county, 326 km from Lhasa. He belongs to
the "TAR" Tsaronk-shang village number 3. His father, Jigme, died at the age
of 87, his mother, Sonam Yeshi, is currently living in Sok District and he
has a younger brother named Tenzin Dhargye. Lodroe is known by the people of
Sok District as a man of strong political convictions, possessing an immense
love for his country.
In 1993 Lodroe's sister, Lharik, was killed in a car being driven by a
Tibetan named Gayoel, a known pro-Chinese. Lodroe later filed a murder case
against Gayoel. Left pending for over a year, Gayoel was ultimately
pronounced "not guilty".
After the trial Gayoel was reported as having told people that he would kill
Lodroe one day. Upon hearing this, Lodroe once again attempted to file a case with the Sok district police station but the authorities refused to register the case.
Some time later Lodroe reportedly received a message asking him to arrive at the Nagchu post office where he would receive news relating to the case. On 17 January 1993 Lodroe went to the market area where he was met by Gayoel who was holding a knife. Lodroe also took out his knife and a fight broke out.
Gayoel was said to have also carried a pistol and tried twice, unsuccessfully, to shoot Lodroe. In the course of the fight, during which two policemen stood by and did nothing, Gayoel was stabbed. The police then arrested Lodroe and eight officials of the People's Armed Police took Gayoel to the army headquarters where he was admitted to hospital. The TAR Middle People's Court found Lodroe guilty of murder and sentenced him on 20 April 1994 to 15 years imprisonment.
While serving his term in the 1st block of Drapchi prison, Lhasa, Lodroe thought of contacting the political prisoners of the 5th block to distribute some political literature before the Tibetan New year. On 4 March 1995, he sought permission from the authorities to go to the 5th block in order to get some medicine for a serious blood pressure problem. He was refused permission to visit the 5th block but was allowed to go, alone, to another block.
Lodroe thus had his chance and began demonstrating, proceeding from below the 5th block, along the 6th, 4th, 2nd and 1st blocks, and concluding in the courtyard of the 1st block. Lodroe called loudly "Tibet is independent" and
"All Chinese should go back to China". He also shouted that the six million
Tibetans are united and believe that the Chinese should leave Tibet.
Lodroe also distributed pamphlets and hung posters with slogans like, "If
His Holiness has no obstacles in his 25th year then he will become the ruler
of all realms in his 60th year. The Tibetans have been under Chinese rule
for 36 years and on this day, to commemorate the Tibetan people's
independence struggle, I represent the entire Tibetan people." Lodroe read
the posters aloud for every one to hear.
Soon after, two prison officials, Liu Bao and Zhao, Pema Rinzin, head of the
4th block, Lee Tue Tang of the 1st block and one Chinese official of the 6th
block, snatched away the pamphlets and clamped thumb cuffs on Lodroe. They
kicked and beat him with their belts and then tied and tortured him till he
bled from his mouth and nose.
He was then taken to the torture cell where he was untied and beaten again.
Pema Rinzin and the Chinese official of the 6th block beat Lodroe on his
private parts and on his abdomen. Phuntsok Yong, the head of the prison,
said " If the Dalai Lama were here, I would put him here along with you. I
should kill you and if I don't increase your prison sentence, don't call me
by my name".
On 7 March 1995 Lee Tue Tang, Liu Bao and Zhao demanded that Lodroe "confess
to his mistakes". He refused, saying "even if you kill me I will not confess" and continued to shout "Long live His Holiness the Dalai Lama" and "Free Tibet". He was then strangled and kicked on his neck and mouth until he fell unconscious. The interrogations continued regularly and from 4 March to 5 April 1995 Lodroe was given only two meals a day consisting of a small tingmo (Tibetan steamed bun) and a small mug of water.
Prison officials and Education-through-Labour Commission officials subsequently called a meeting, made papers to execute Lodroe Gyatso and forwarded them to the prosecution division. In April 1995, while the Middle People's Court execution order was awaiting the approval of the Higher People's Court, the prisoners of Drapchi were able to smuggle the news of Lodroe's impending death to Voice of America. An urgent appeal was transmitted to China by the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions on 18 May 1995.
The Chinese response stated that no execution sentence had been passed, rather that Lodroe had been sentenced to a further six years imprisonment dated from 3 May 1995 and stripped of his political rights for three years.
Lodroe Gyatso is currently serving a 21 year sentence. Help protest the injustice of his sentence by writing an appeal letter to the Chinese
authorities. For address details, contact TCHRD.
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SONGS OF FREEDOM
Already having served nine months imprisonment for Tibetan independence
activities, Sonam Gonpo was arrested again in 1996 after Chinese authorities
suspected he and his musical group of propagating independence messages.
Sonam Gonpo, commonly known as Sogon, was born in Tsenyi township under
Ngapa prefecture now incorporated into the Chinese province of Sichuan. He
studied in Ngapa County Middle School from 1983 to 1986 and for three more
years in the Higher Middle School.
In October 1989, Sogon became involved in a pro-independence movement and
distributed leaflets during a protest reading "Long live the Tibetan
Independence" and "Tibetans should hold their own land". He was subsequently
arrested and detained for nine months in Ngapa prison without trial. There
he was tortured and beaten with cattle prods, sticks and iron bars.
After Sogon's release, while working as a primary school teacher in Ngapa
Tsenyi township, he learnt to play the guitar and sing Amdo folk songs. He
began to write his own songs and choreograph dance movements.
In 1996 Sogon formed a local group of 14 artistes and they began touring
Tibet giving concerts. Their tremendous popularity alarmed Chinese
authorities who suspected that the concerts were propagating
pro-independence messages.
On 27 November 1996, nine members of the People's Armed Police raided
Sogon's house. They confiscated two volumes of newly written song text, 52
pictures of the Dalai Lama and 72 audio cassettes. They arrested Sogon and
detained him for two months in Ngapa prison. After his relatives paid 3,400
yuan to the prison authorities, he was finally released on 1 February 1997.
Sogon, his wife and two small daughters, reached Dharamsala on 28 April 1997.
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