APRIL 2000, UPDATES
Former detainee sheds light on arrests
Gyaltsen Losel (32),reached Dharamsala, India after spending seven months in Gutsa Detention Centre. Upon his arrival, he reported that four Tibetans were arrested in May 1999. They were Jampel Rinzin (30) and Jigme (30) from Drepung Monastery and two nuns, Ngawang Samdrol (17) and Jampa Dhedron 14) from Michungri Nunnery. The two monks were taken from their monastery and it is not known if they have been sentenced. There are no further details available on the two monks.
The two nuns had earlier served five year sentences in 1993 for participating in a pro-independence demonstration in Lhasa. Although the details of their initial arrest is not known, it is reported that the nuns' second arrest was for pasting pro- independence posters. The nuns were later sentenced to two years in May 1999. They are currently serving their prison term in Toelung Prison (Trisam Detention Centre). Losel testified that Ngawang Dedron's condition is reportedly critical, and that she needs immediate medical attention.
Losel from Drepung Monastery was detained in Gutsa for his participation in a demonstration in Lhasa on 10 December 1988.
On the eve of the demonstration, at approximately 2 am, Losel left the monastery for Lhasa. There were 12 other monks from the same monastery. After arriving in Lhasa the next day, the monks started shouting pro-independence slogans from Tsepaklhakhang at approximately 10 am. Within minutes, many other monks from Sera Monastery and some nuns joined their demonstration. By the time the demonstrators reached the Barkhor (Central Market), the group had increased to approximately 30 people. The group carried the forbidden Tibetan national flag, and distributed leaflets, while simultaneously shouting slogans such as "Tibet is independent", "Long Live H.H the Dalai Lama" and "Chinese quit Tibet". As the demonstrators reached the Barkhor, around 100 armed personnel surrounded up the demonstrators and immediately started firing. In the ensuing firing, a monk named Gyalpo (30) died instantly. Another monk, Anu (32) from Phenpo was also shot in the abdomen. There were many others who were injured.
Later, seven monks from Drepung Monastery including Gyaltsen Losel were arrested. The names of the other six are: Ngawang Shenphen (32), Ngawang Lhapchen (27), Yeshi Zoepa (32), Gen Dawa (55), Gen Tsering (50) and Lobsang Tenzin (27). Following their arrest, they were taken to the Barkhor local police station. At the police station, the monks were severely beaten by the People's Armed Police for over half an hour. From the police station, the monks were transferred in a truck to Gutsa Detention Centre where they were interrogated five times. They were asked, "Who invited you to go to the protest?", "Who else were your companions?". They were simultaneously beaten with rifle butts and leather straps. During the seven months of detention Gen Tsering suffered the most. Except for Gen Tsering and Yeshi Zoepa, who were sentenced for five and three years respectively, the rest were released after seven months of detention. Awaiting their sentence in Gutsa, they were interrogated by two Public Security Bureau officers of Lhasa City for one and a half hours. They were simultaneously beaten with rifle butts, struck with electric cattle prods on their tongues and punched in the stomach. They were then made to wear helmets, and to kneel down for approximately 30 minutes when they were hit on their heads with rifles. After his release in June 1989, Losel rejoined the monastery, but his friends Ngawang Shenphen and Ngawang Lapchen were refused recently in the monastery. It is uncertain why they were not re-admitted.
Losel remained in Drepung Monastery until 10 January 1999, after which time he left for India and reached Dharamsala on 17 January 2000. Losel stated that at present there are about 600 monks at Drepung Monastery. In 1997, a PSB office was constructed in the monastery and police personnel were permanently stationed within the monastery. The monastery management is completely controlled by the eight-member Monastery Management Committee. These members are directly appointed by the Chinese authorities. Freedom of Expression is now explicitly prohibited in the monastery and the right to listen to international news is also strictly forbidden. Losel said that his inability to live under such control made him flee to India.
When he was eight years old, Losel attended primary school and finished when he turned 14. Then he stayed at home to help his parents in the fields. He joined Drepung Monastery when he turned 18, where he remained until his participation in the demonstration. He is from Khesum village, Trangtru township, Nyethong County in Lhoka region. His family are farmers. He has two elder sisters and a younger brother. ]
Drayab monk arrested for posters and documents
Chemi Lobsang (22), is from Bondha village, Chetang township in Drayab County. His family are farmers. He helped his parents till the age of 14 when he joined Chamdo Monastery, which has about 1,200 monks. While in Chamdo Monastery, on 10 February 1994, Lobsang pasted pro-independence posters on the gate of the Chamdo County Radio Office. On the posters it was written, "Tibet is independent", "Long Live H.H the Dalai Lama", "Tibetans should rise against the Chinese" and "Chinese quit Tibet". Lobsang pasted them at midnight. The following day, PSB officials of Chamdo County came to the monastery and took several pictures of the posters although they did not know who was responsible for the act. Lobsang later joined the Drayab Magon Monastery on 6 July 1995, along with 70 other monks from Drayab locality. He left behind a hand-drawn Tibetan national flag, posters, and speeches of the Dalai Lama beneath his mattress in Chamdo Monastery. After Lobsang's departure, his room was occupied by an old lady from Chamdo County. The lady discovered these documents and unaware of their nature, she left them on the hilltop. The documents which had Lobsang's name later came to the attention of the PSB officials. While in Drayab, Lobsang was again involved in pasting posters on the night of 7 October 1999. The following day, his hand writing was checked and he was subsequently arrested along with his brother Chakdor. Lobsang was initially kept in the Drayab PSB office. The next day, he was taken to Chamdo Detention Centre. During his four months of detention in Chamdo Detention Centre, Lobsang and a friend twice had blood extracted and they were fed very little food during the entire period of their detention. ]
Arrest of Pomda monks
Tinley Tenzin arrived in Dharamsala, India in March 2000. Tenzin 17 years old, from Pomda township, Pashoe County in Chamdo Prefecture was expelled from Pomda Monastery in August 1997 just months after he joined. Tenzin comes from a farming background and had only one year of formal education. In his village, educational opportunities are inadequate and therefore children help their parents in the fields instead of attending school.
When Tenzin joined Pomda Monastery in 1997, there were 120 monks. In August 1997, a ten-member 'work team' visited the monastery and initiated a 'patriotic re-education' campaign. The members distributed documents opposing the Dalai Lama and instructed the monks to study the material. After 15 days, the 'work team' members forced the monks individually to read out loud the documents. At that time, Lobsang Nyima (lay name Gyeche), in his thirties, resisted the 'work team's' orders and pretended he could not read the particular Tibetan script. Upon producing another document written in another script that monks are usually more familiar with, Nyima stated that reading such documents was against his religious and spiritual belief, that he did not enter the monastery so that he could later defy his faith. The 'work team' members immediately took Nyima to the nearest Pomda township office. There the officers questioned him and asked when the others could read, why couldn't he? The officers threatened and beat him and ordered him to read the document. Nyima shouted pro-independence slogans in front of the officers. The officers quickly gagged his mouth and took him away in a vehicle to Pashoe County PSB Detention Centre. After a month in Pashoe, where the officals severely punished Nyima, he was transferred to Chamdo Detention Centre. The Chamdo Intermediate People's Court sentenced Nyima to five years' imprisonment. He was later transferred to Drapchi Prison where he is currently held. Since Nyima was arrested, there has been strict surveillance imposed at the monastery. Five days after Nyima was sentenced, 'work team' members conducted a search in the monk's quarters. They discovered the forbidden Tibetan national flag in Gedun Gyatso and Lobsang Tsering's room. They were immediately taken from the monastery, and after detaining them in Pashoe Detention Centre for a month, the monks were transferred to Chamdo PSB Detention Centre. Lobsang Tsering was released within a year. Gyatso was detained for three years. Tenzin believes that Gyatso has since been released.
The 'work team' members expelled all monks below the age of 18. There were 15 monks including Tinley Tenzin. The members further declared that "the three detainees in prison and the rest who have visited India or Lhasa are expelled." Monks who were not present at that time in the monastery were also expelled. Their names were removed from the list of the residents at the monastery. There are currently 90 monks at the monastery. Sixty of them were issued ID cards allowing them to remain. The remaining 30 are at the monastery and may remain for a year as a trial period but will be expelled if they get into trouble.
Upon expulsion, Tenzin stayed at home as a farmer. Finally in November 1999, he came to Lhasa and from there he fled to India. ]
Tibetans rights stifled due to taxation, birthcontrol, discriminatory education and forced labour policies
Getsen Gyatso is a 26 year-old former monk of Lhabrang Tashi Kyil Monastery. Originally from Arig village, Nyethang township in Malho County, Tsongon Province, Gyatso arrived in Dharamsala on 29 November 1999. Gyatso's parents are nomads. He became a monk of Tsang Monastery in 1986 and stayed there until 1993. He joined Lhabrang Tashi-kyil Monastery in 1993, but left the monastery in 1997 to work as a teacher in a primary school in Arig village of Malho County until 1999. Gyatso was arrested on 11 September 1997 by Khenlo 'Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture' security police for writing a four page essay on pre-1958 Tibetan culture and the conditions of Tibetan students. He had given this essay for publication in a Khenlo periodical called Datse. A day before his arrest, Gyatso also pasted freedom posters in Lhabrang Tashi-Kyil Monastery. This coincided with a religious festival. He destroyed the materials which he had used to write the essay and to make the posters, for fear of arrest. Gyatso pleaded innocence to the charges and because no evidence was found, he was released after being detained for approximately 20 days. He was held in Lhabrang Shahor County Prison.
Resettlement
Gyatso reported massive resettlement in Gaosub of Tsojang township, Tsongon Province. Migrant workers were settled to mine limestone, iron and gold in the area. The mining started in 1997 and according to plans, the mining will continue for 30 years. Gyatso reported that approximately 200 Chinese workers have been resettled in the Tsojang township of Tsongon Province by the Tsolho 'TAP' authorities. The mining operations and the resettlement of these labourers are under the jurisdiction of Tsongon Province Eighth Geological Unit.
At present, roads have been constructed to transport machines and workers to the excavation site.
In Arig village, there are three primary schools. There are approximately 1,700 Tibetan families residing in Nyethang township. In Nyethang township there is only one village, and most of the Tibetan families are nomads. The Chinese authorities set in place a two-child policy in Arig village several years ago.
In the three primary schools in Arig village, 400 yuan per student is collected as fees during the months of winter and 700 yuan for summer. In the Nyethang township primary school, there are approximately 350 Tibetan students. They are taught only Chinese history, politics, and law. The medium of instruction is Tibetan. The local government officers of Nyethang township regularly scrutinise the curriculum and make suggestions of any changes that they consider necessary.
In another primary school in Arig village, there are only 60 Tibetan students. This school was constructed by the Tibetan families. The funds needed to run the school were collected by Tibetans, but the school is not independent of government control. There are three Tibetan teachers in the school and their salaries are voluntarily raised by Tibetan families. The teachers are paid 700 yuan per month.
In Arig village, the local Chinese authorities collect regular taxes from the Tibetan nomads. The nomads have to pay 15 gyama of meat as tax per sheep and around 25 gyama of meat as tax for each yak or dri. Some prosperous nomads had around 450 sheep and around 150 yaks or dri, and, they have to pay meat tax for each of these animals. The nomads also collect yartsa-gunbu, a medicinal plant from the nearby mountains but again they had to give five sang of yartsa-gunbu as tax each time they go to collect the plants.
Gyatso escaped from his village on13 November 1999, and reached Nepal through the Solukhumbhu border on 29 November 1999. ]
Compulsory Labour
Norbu Choephel is a 36 year-old farmer from Pasong township, Dhingri County in Shigatse Prefecture. He reached Kathmandu, Nepal on 19 December 1999.
There are six members in Choephel's family including four children. He has 11 rukhel of land in Tsoten village, Dhingri County. His family annually produces around 600 gyama of cereals. However, they use all the cereal for family consumption, which lasts for only three months of every year. For the remaining nine months, they borrow cereals from other farmers to feed the family.
Choephel's family, every year since 1989 has faced a shortage of food. He lived mainly by the generosity of other farmers. At present, Choephel has a debt of 700 gyama of cereals and around 1,000 yuan owed to his fellow farmers. Choephel also worked as labourer, but the work lasted only one month and his employer paid him just four gyama of cereal as a daily wage. Choephel reported that in his township and county, the Chinese authorities forcefully employ local Tibetans above the age of 18 in building Chinese government houses and in road construction for approximately 30 days a year without pay. All the local people are forced to do this work. The Tibetan workers are not given food by the authorities during work time. They have to arrange to bring food from their homes. The people who abstain from this duty are fined five yuan per day by the authorities and face reprisals. In addition, the authorities collect a regular tax from the Tibetan farmers. There are around 18 Tibetan families in Tsoten village of Pasong township, however, only four of them are well to do families and the rest live with the yearly problem of cereal shortages.
Choephel was given some clothes by the authorities during the winter of 1998 as relief. He was never given any cereals or food assistance. He also faced a 500 yuan fine for exceeding the limit set under the three-child policy set by the County authorities in 1997.
Choephel's family annually delivers around 100 gyama of cereal to the local authorities, but they pay them only eight motse for one gyama of cereal. In market, the rate is one yuan per gyama of cereal. This form of compulsory cereal collection is imposed on all the farmers in Dhingri County. he escaped to Nepal with his eldest child, who he wants to send to school in India. Choephel reached Nepal on 19 December 1999. He will return to Tibet. ]
Rural taxations
Samdup (30) is a nomad from Trago township in Saga County, Shigatse Prefecture. There are 16 townships in the Saga County; 10 are inhabited by nomads and six by farmers. Saga County is the poorest County in Shigatse Prefecture and is mostly inhabited by nomads.
In Trago township of Saga County, there are six villages with a population of around 1500 peoples and all are nomads. In Trago there are no markets, hospital, clinic or electricity. However, there is a large Chinese army barracks, which was constructed to patrol the border and arrest people who were escaping to Nepal through Saga County. In 1999, approximately 198 Tibetans escapees were arrested from Saga County, detained in the army barrack and later handed over to the Shigatse authorities. There is no information on what happened to them afterwards.
The Saga County and township authorities regularly call meetings in the villages to instruct nomads and farmers not to escape or send their children to schools in India. They are threatened with the confiscation of their land, animals and ration cards.
In Trago township, the Chinese authorities collect tax per the number of animals a nomadic family owns. There are three members in Samdup's family, who have around 100 sheep, 10 goats, and 1 horse. Although they own no land, the authorities still collect an annual tax of 60 to 70 yuan for the animals, grass, and skin.
Furthermore, seven sheep are forcibly taken from his family as an annual meat tax. The authorities pay only 100 yuan for each sheep while in the county market each sheep sells for 250 yuan.The authorities also collect one gyama of butter from those nomads who own dri (female yak). There are 60 nomadic families in Samdup's village with a population of around 350 people. According to Samdup, 95 per cent of the children between the age of 7 to 15 can not attend school in Trago township villages. There are 75 children from 7 to 15 years old in Samdup village, but only four of them study in the primary school in the township.
Samdup reports that the people in Trago township villages, who are between the ages of 16 to 58 are required to work on road construction without pay. The men are expected to work for 25 days and the women for 15 days. People who fail to come to work are fined by the authorities. Samdup left his home on 15 December 1999. He reached Nepal on 11 January 2000. ]
Confiscation of excess animals and restrictions of religious practices
Nortso (29) is a farmer from Rongnup village in Daphuy township, Ngamring County in Shigatse Prefecture. He has never been to school. There are three members in his family and they own approximately six mu of land - two mu for each member. Nortso's family has only 45 goats and sheep, as they were not allowed to own more than that amount.
In Rongnup village, the farmers are not allowed to keep more than 15 goats or sheep per member of a family. The Chinese authorities inspect the villages in autumn and order the slaughter of excess animals, or the farmers face confiscation of the animals. This policy was introduced in 1994 by the Ngamring County authorities, and those who fail to comply with the policy are publicly humiliated and their animals are confiscated. In 1995, the township authorities publicly criticised a farmer named Kelsang during a village meeting for keeping excess animals. His animals were confiscated and slaughtered. The authorities collect different animal tax from the farmers each year. These taxes include: Skin tax, Goat's wool tax (5 yuan), Grass tax (5 yuan) and a goat/sheep tax (1 yuan per goat/sheep). A tax of three yuan annualy was collected for irrigation. The authorities collect five gyama of cereal per year from the farmers. The farmers are also forced to buy two sacks of different fertilizers every year, whether they are needed or not. The fertilizers weigh 100 gyama each and the farmers are charged 140 and 180 yuan. From their annual yield, they have to deliver 40 gyama of cereal (per mu of land) to the local authorities and they are paid only eight motse and two phing per gyama of cereal. If a farmer uses good quality seed usually brought from China, he has to pay only five yuan (per mu of land) as annual tax to the local authorities.
Nortso reported that the township and county authorities forcibly engage the people of his village for 25 days a year in unpaid construction work. In Nortso's family, there are three members and they have to work for a total of 75 days annually. Failure to work incurs a fine of seven yuan per day per member, which is collected from the family. The people are 15 to 60 are required to go for compulsory work.
In the whole of Ngamring County, the Tibetan people are forbidden to build any new temples or stupas. Since 1994, the people have been banned from approaching any Lama or monk to ask that they perform any religious activities, divinations, or fortune telling. The people are allowed to invite only one or two monks into their homes for prayer services. The people are banned from attending any large religious ceremonies performed by the Lamas and monks in the villages or township. Nortso reached Nepal on 20 December 1999. ]
One Gyama = 500 Grams
Ten Sang = One Gyama
One Rukhel = 28 Gyama
Ten Motse = 0ne Rupee
One Yuan = Five Rupees
One Mu = 67 Square Metres
Restrictions in Gonlung Nunnery
Tsondu Wangmo and Tenzin Sangmo, 18 years of age, are nuns from Gonlung Nunnery in Datho township, Driru County, Nagchu Prefecture. The nuns are related and their parents are nomads in Datho township. Wangmo's parents died when she was about 16 years old, and afterwards she lived with Sangmo and her family. They joined Gonlung Nunnery when they were 10 years old. At that time, there were approximately 70 nuns. There are currently 40 nuns. Both the nuns stayed at the nunnery for one year. They joined a hermitage in Datho township where they stayed for two years. Later they went to Samye Monastery to help built a stupa for a year. Nun Tenzin Sangmo and Tsondu Wangmo fled Tibet along with 24 other Tibetans. They paid 830 yuan each to the guide and reached Nepal through Rongpo Pass on 2 March 2000. They now want to join a nunnery in India. The two nuns reported that since the 'work team' members visited Gonlung Nunnery, many nuns have undergone harassment.
Gonlung Nunnery was destroyed completely during the Cultural Revolution; however, it was renovated in the 1980's by Lama Rinchen Dhondup and some nuns of Driru County. In the spring of 1998 (April/May), a five-member 'work team' from Driru County and Datho township visited Gonlung Nunnery. The 'work team' set a limit of 40 nuns in Gonlung Nunnery, and the rest were told to leave. At that time, there were approximately 70 nuns. Some nuns voluntarily left the nunnery after the arrival of the 'work team'. The 'work team' instructed the nuns to oppose 'splittists' and banned pictures of the Dalai Lama in the nunnery. The officials regularly visited the nunnery and 're-educated' the nuns. Since 1998, the 'work team' officers have visited the nunnery twice a month.
Jangchup Dolma and Samten Choekyi, both in their mid-twenties are former nuns of Gonlung Nunnery. They returned to Driru County around August or September after travelling to India. They were arrested and detained for approximately two months in Shigatse Nyari Detention Centre. Both the nuns were fined 500 yuan each for 'escaping to India' by Driru County and township authorities. They were restricted from joining any nunnery in Nagchu Region and prohibited from performing or attending any religious services in Nagchu. The nuns were forbidden from travelling to places other than Nagchu without acquiring permission from the local authorities. They were constantly harassed and accused of being a bad influence for other nuns.
Choeyang Dolkar and Karma Ngawang, both in their mid-twenties are also nuns from Gonlung Nunnery. They returned to Tibet in December after visiting India. They had previously left Gonlung Nunnery voluntarily. The Driru township authorities detained them for around 15 days and then released them. Both the nuns were restricted from performing any religious services and have been constantly harassed by the authorities since their return. Sangmo's family background Tenzin Sangmo's parents are nomads. Her father, Sonam (64) was imprisoned for six years in Driru County Prison. He was arrested for shouting pro-independence slogans in Tsora County, which is now incorporated under Driru County, and for siding with 'splittists' along with his cousin named Drablha (70) who was also imprisoned for six years. Drablha died soon after his release from prison.
Both Sonam and Drablha were imprisoned in 1991/92 when nun Tenzin Sangmo was 10 years old and were released in 1997/98. The informant is not sure about the dates.
Sangmo's paternal grandfather was shot dead by Chinese police when she was four years old, in 1986/87. Her grandfather was killed when he shouted 'free-Tibet' slogans in front of Chinese police in Tsora County. Nun Tenzin Sangmo's family was greatly harassed by Chinese police after the death of her grandfather and labelled as supporters of 'splittists'. Her family left all their properties in Tsora County village and re-settled in Driru County because the Chinese police constantly harassed her family. ]
Musician faces coercion for patriotic songs
Gonpo Dhondup (24) is a musician from Achok township, Huyen County in gapa 'Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture', Sichuan Province.
Dhondup had been to an ethnic school of Huyen County when he was eight years old, and attended for two years. Afterwards, he joined the Cultural Institute of Huyen County for nine years, where he learned to play Tibetan musical instruments. He escaped from Tibet in 1996 to join a cultural school in India and stayed for two years working at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts in Dharamsala, India. He returned to Tibet in November 1997, as he could not adapt to the climate in India, and had become ill. When Dhondup returned to Huyen County, he was arrested and detained for 12 days by County Public Security Bureau (PSB) on charges of 'escaping to India' and on 'suspicion'. He was fined approximately 6,000 yuan by the PSB, which he paid with assistance from his relatives.
Thereafter, Dhondup went to Lhabrang County in Khenlo Prefecture and obtained work as an artist in the Song and Dance Institute of the Lhabrang County. He travelled to many places in Sichuan Province and Gannan 'TAP' with the tour group performing. While on tour, Dhondup performed various cultural programmes along with other artists. The songs he sang and the lyrics composed were the ones he had learned in India. The heads of the troupe, Dakpa and Dorjee Tashi, did not approve of his act and informed the local Chinese authorities. They sent the authorities a letter informing them about his performances, which they deemed political in nature. The letter accused Dhondup of conversing, singing, and performing many freedom-related activities during his five-months at the Institute. They also informed authorities about his previous travel to India in 1996, and his connection with TIPA in Dharamsala, India.
Dhondup said that 'he even composed and sung 'eulogy' songs to the re-incarnations of Kirti Rinpoche and other high 'Kirti' lamas which Dakpa (the director) has made 'political' and informed to the authorities'. Dhondup further said 'around five Tibetan artists had forsaken their work in the Lhabrang 'song/dance' institute because of to constant 'annoyance' by Dakpa' and his favoritism to Chinese authorities.
Dhondup fled to Lhasa for fear of being arrested. His friends advised him to find a job in Lhasa and not return to Lhabrang or Huyen County. There are five members in Dhondup's family and his parents are nomads. While in Lhasa (1998), Dhondup found work with a group called Nangma where he played the Tibetan guitar. When Dhondup found out that Dakpa and the Lhabrang authorities had send letters to all cultural institutions in Lhasa regarding his background, he had to leave the group as well. Dhondup left for Dram with three other escapees and reached Nepal on 4 March 2000. ]
A media worker flees Tibet
A media worker from Gansu Province who wishes to remain anonymous arrived in Dharamsala on 23 March 2000. She was a television broadcaster. Part of her work involved broadcasting Chinese Communist ideology denouncing the Dalai Lama, and this was very much against her own feelings. People in the villages would be very angry when they heard these things, and she felt very uncomfortable working for the station that transmitted such propaganda. When the informant was at school, she was very interested in this kind of work, but her actual experience has compelled her to leave and try to find similar work in exile where there is freedom of expression and better facilities to learn English, she said.
The TV station she worked for - Gannan People's Television - was government run and employed 100 people, about 50% of whom were Tibetan. The managing director was Chinese, but his deputy was Tibetan. The station translated central Chinese broadcasts into Tibetan, but only broadcast Tibetan programmes for two days of the week - the rest was taken up by Chinese programming. There would be 15 minutes each day devoted to propaganda; broadcasting parts of the Chinese Constitution, law and information about the "prosperity" of the region. Most villagers weren't interested in this as they had little faith in the information given out. She stated that her family were caught between feeling pride that she held such a good position and sadness at the things it broadcasted.
The facilities for the workers were good - she was given a salary of 600 yuan a month and free accommodation. During the two years she worked for the station, she did not pay any tax on her income, but was unsure whether money had already been deducted before it reached her. Sometimes, usually once a month, her office would collect approximately 50 yuan from each employee for a "development fund", but she is unsure as to whether this was an official tax or merely an office initiative.
Like all employees of the TV station, she was required to work for some time on the local radio station, but she said that all programmes were equally censored. She possessed an official Press Pass, which enabled her to travel all over China, but to get this she was required to sign and take a vow swearing her allegiance to the unity of the motherland.
Office regulations specify that all employees get 50% off their health care treatment costs, but according to the informant, this was rarely true in practice. Only a handful of employees who have connections higher up were able to enjoy these benefits. No one possessed a green health pass in the area, highlighting the differences between 'TAR' (the focus of Chinese development) and the other Tibetan Autonomous Prefectures, which still suffer from very few facilities. In 'TAR', an employee doing the same job as she would receive up to 1,500 yuan instead of 600 yuan because the economic conditions were so much better. Opportunities for Tibetans in her region are very scarce and the education of a very poor standard. If there are 50 Tibetan students in a class only about three or four will pass the exams and go on to higher education. Most seats at this level were filled by Chinese students. She reports that that without fluency in Chinese, no-one can get a job, and the unemployed are offered no financial assistance by the government.
Broadcasting the regional family planning policy formed part of her job. Tibetans were allowed to have two children, Chinese only one. This was a great problem for the local nomadic communities who were often forced to break this rule in order to have enough children to look after their animals. Those who did exceed the limit were subsequently fined 4,000 yuan for each extra child. While pregnant employees in her office were given three months paid leave, the informant also had some knowledge of many women being sterilised in hospital apparently through government-funded operations.
While there was little discrimination practised in her actual office, the informant did report that in general, Tibetan nomads were treated as second-class citizens by the Chinese, especially in terms of healthcare where they would be given dirty rooms and only the most basic of treatment. There are no official agencies to which the Tibetans can complain because every service is government run, and all local officials in the local assembly are nominated by the higher county officials. This makes any 'election' a mere farce. ]
Resentenced for financially assisting fellow prisoners
Dawa Tsering, 29 years old from Phenpo Lhundup County. He has no formal education as he comes from a poor family and his help was needed at home. In 1985, he stayed with distant relatives as a handyman. Then in 1986 he joined Dralhaluphug Monastery in Lhasa where he worked as a caretaker. In 1989, when he was 18 years old, Tsering and two other monks from Gaden Monastery initiated a peaceful demonstration in Lhasa Barkhor. They had prepared the forbidden Tibetan national flag. They knew their actions would have serious repurcussions, because at that time, Lhasa was still under the martial law imposed by the People's Republic of China on 7 March 1988. The monks were therefore immediately arrested by the Lhasa Public Security Bureau and were detained in Gutsa Detention Centre.
In 1990, Tsering was sentenced to three years 'reform through labour' in Drapchi Prison. His friends were sent to units for 're-education through labour'.
According to a former Drapchi inmate, "Tsering came to Drapchi in February 1990. He was very smart and resourceful, and although he was very young, he exhibited maturity beyond his age. He would always answer back to officials, and this earned him many beatings and put him in the bad books of the prison guards." Dawa was later injured at work, and developed a limp that caused him constant pain. His work performance suffered as a result, but instead of being given medical care, he was beaten for "shirking his duties." As the officials did not beleive he was suffering, Dawa was forced to perform his labour alongwith the able prisoners until May 1992, when he completed his term and was finally released from Drapchi.
Upon his release, he was prohibited from returning to his monastery. For a while, he took up odd jobs in Lhasa, sometimes indulging in petty businesses. With the little money he earned, he visited his fellow prisoners in Drapchi, who had no visitors. The prison officials quickly grew suspicious of his actions and sent an order to have him arrested. The police were unable to locate him for a long time, as Dawa was hiding in Nagchu.
Finally, in June 1997, when he was running a small restaurant in Gyatsa County in Lhoka Region, he was arrested. He was charged for 'distributing documents published in India' and 'compiling a list of political prisoners,' and was subsequently detained in Lhoka Tsethang Public Security Bureau Detention Centre; where he sufferred inhumane treatment during interrogation. He was denied visitors, and none of his relatives nor friends knew of his whereabouts and thus, he failed to receive adequate food and clothing during this time.
In December 1997, the Lhoka Intermediate People's Court sentenced Tsering to five years' imprisonment and three years deprivation of political rights.
Upon his sentencing, he was transferred back to Drapchi Prison where he is currently serving his term. Former Drapchi inmates who knew him are concerned about his well-being considering his intrepid behaviour. And especially since no specific details have emerged from the protest in May1998 in Drapchi. ]
Death of a religious scholar
Gunthang Jigme Tenpae Wangchuk Rinpoche, the sixth incarnation of the 50th Gaden Tripa Gunthang Tenpae Nyima Gedun Phuntsok was formally enthroned in Ladrang Tashi Khyil Monastery in Amdo in the early forties. In 1958, Rinpoche was arrested, charged with being an accomplice in a revolt against the Chinese government in the regions of Kansu, Tsongon and Sichuan. During his 21 years imprisonment, Rinpoche was kept in the First Unit of Lanchou Prison where he was subjected to hard labour.
Rinpoche was highly regarded among the Tibetans in Tibet for his unyielding devotion to the Dalai Lama and his repudiation of the Chinese-recognised Panchen Lama. He was an avid proponent of education of Tibetans and raised funds to set up schools and to re-build destroyed monasteries. Although he held positions as a Standing Committee Member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Vice-President of the Buddhist Association of China, he was loyal to the Dalai Lama. In his seventies, Rinpoche was receiving treatment for cancer when he passed away on 1 March 2000 or 29 February 2000 at 6.48 am (Peking Standard Time).