International Campaign for Tibet

More cases of detention and disappearance emerge after Lithang Protest

According to additional information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) from reliable sources regarding the protest demonstration by 15 Tibetans in Lithang County yesterday, Sonam Tenpa, 29 years old and Lobsang Tenzin, 23, in particularly sustained severe injuries from the brutal beating at the site of the demonstration and the whereabouts of Gelek Kunga, still remains unknown.

According to sources, "following a peaceful protest by fifteen Tibetans in the streets of Lithang main market, they were later joined by few Tibetan onlookers in the street. The Lithang County Public Security Bureau (PSB) and People's Armed Police (PAP) detained five more Tibetans along with 15 other known Tibetans who staged a peaceful protest demonstration in Lithang on 16 February 2009 and were brutally beaten, manhandled at the site of the demonstration before being forcibly loaded into military trucks. They are, Damdul (only one name) the head of Dekyi Village, Lithang County, two other Tibetans whose identities could not be ascertained at the moment, and two Tibetan nomad ladies of Sako Village in Lithang County, Yanglo and Dolma." The latter two were known to have been released last evening.

The total number of Tibetans known to have been detained, since 15 February solo protest by Lobsang Lhundup of Nekhor Monastery and subsequent peaceful on 16 February, has reached 21.

According to some close associates, "Lobsang Lhundup is currently detained at Lithang County PSB Detention Centre whereas other Tibetan detainees are currently held in Lithang Tsagha PSB Detention Centre." According to sources, on learning about their detention at Tsagha PSB Detention Centre, the family members and relatives went to visit the detainees, however, to their shock, Gelek Kunga who was detained along with other Tibetans was nowhere to be seen in the detention centre. Many fear for the safety and the well being of Gelek Kunga since his detention and disappearance.

"The Shops and restaurants remain closed yesterday following the peaceful protest in Lithang town. The vehicular traffic movement between Lithang and Bathang, which is around 6-7 hours journey distant, was brought to a grinding halt after the protest and subsequent deployment of massive troops into the areas to check further Tibetan protest," sources added.

TCHRD calls upon the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) to immediately locate the whereabouts and safety of Gelek Kunga and in all circumstances guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all the detainees, and should guarantee immediate and unconditional access to legal representation, their families and any medical attention required for the injured detainees. The Centre deems the case as an outright clampdown on the freedom of opinion and expression in Tibet.

Fifteen Tibetans arrested in Lithang after a peaceful protest

16 February, 2009 

Following yesterday's solo protest by Lobsang Lhundup, a monk of Nekhor Monastery in Lithang County, Kardze "Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture" ('TAP') Sichuan Province, a group of 15 Tibetans from Lithang County staged a similar peaceful protest this morning, according to confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD).

Sonam Tenpa, 29 years old, a younger brother of Lobsang Lhundup along with fourteen other Tibetans staged a peaceful protest march at Lithang main market square this morning at around 11:40 AM (Beijing Standard Time) which lasted for around 2 hours, according to source. Sonam Tenpa who led the peaceful protest was known to be carrying a huge portrait of the Dalai Lama adorned with a traditional Tibetan scarf. The peaceful Tibetan protesters took to the street of Lithang main market chanting slogans, 'Long Live the Dalai Lama,' Independence for Tibet,' 'Swift return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet' and ' No Losar (Tibetan New Year) celebration this year,' sources described.

According to eyewitnesses accounts from the site of the demonstration, "all the Tibetan protesters were brutally beaten, manhandled and forcibly loaded into military trucks by the Chinese Public Security Bureau (PSB) and People's Armed Police (PAP) forces that many were badly bruised and injured with blood dripping from their nose, head and arms."

The identities of all those detained are; Sonam Tenpa, 29 years old, Jampa Thokmey, 30, Gelek Kunga, 26, Lobsang Tenzin 23, Lobsang Phendey, 37, Jampa Yonten, 30, Sanggey, 29, Jampa Tsering, 28, Lobsang Wangchuk, 30, Lobsang Tashi, 21, Gendun Choephel, 30, Dargye, 37, Gedhun, 29, Jampa, 40 and Amdo Gyaltsen, 41. All the detainees were known to be from nomadic families who have shifted their residences from different villages to Lithang Town.

According to source, "two more groups of Tibetan people- a few Tibetans close to Ronggye A'drak who was arrested and sentenced in 2007 and a few other local Tibetan residents of Lithang- were also detained by PSB and PAP forces following their protest demonstration. The current whereabouts and their condition could not be ascertained at the moment. More troops were deployed around Lithang following yesterday's protest by a Tibetan monk.

TCHRD condemns in strongest terms the Chinese security forces' brutal use of force on the peaceful Tibetan demonstrators and calls upon the Chinese authorities to release the fifteen Tibetans who have been arrested and detained solely for exercising their fundamental human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Constitution and many other international covenants and treaties that China is party to. The government of the People's Republic of China should immediately locate the whereabouts of the detainees and should guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical and psychological integrity of the detainees.

The authorities should ensure that detainees are not subjected to further ill treatment in the detention centre as they were subjected to in broad daylight at the market square. The Centre deems the case as an outright clampdown on the freedom of opinion and expression in Tibet.