By Kalsang Rinchen
New York, March 21 -As China tightens its grip on the Tibetan plateau with the deployment of military and police, the Chinese authorities issued warning notice for protesters who took part in the series of demonstrations to turn in before midnight of March 25 or face harsh consequences, according to Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), a rights group based in India.
The written notice in Tibetan and Chinese was issued by Kanlho (Ch: Gannan) “Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture” (‘TAP’) Intermediate People’s Court, Procuratorate, and Public Security Bureau. The security forces were also announcing the notice through loudspeakers, says a press statement issued by TCHRD.
TCHRD calls the notice an “ultimatum in disguise” while urging for action from the international community.
The notice mentions protests in Sangchu (Ch: Xiahe), Luchu (Ch: Luqu), Machu (Ch: Maqu), Chone (Ch: Zhouni), Tewo (Ch: Diebu) Counties and in Hezuo city, all under Kanlho (Ch: Gannan) “Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture”, Gansu Province, earlier in the week.
The rights group says that though the Chinese promises leniency for those who turn in by the deadline it is “highly improbable given the nature of Chinese regime and its past record in dealing with Tibetan protestors in 1989 protest in Lhasa.” However, the actual arrest has already begun in house-to-house raid since yesterday.
More cases of arbitrary arrests, detentions and enforced disappearance of Tibetans in the late night raids in Sangchu and other counties are being reported.
The TCHRD says over 1000 Tibetan protestors had already been arrested and hundreds are missing. TCHRD expressed fears that “more arbitrary arrest and enforced disappearances” might follow.
The Centre, which has published several reports and journals on human rights in Tibet in the past, feared of Chinese authorities torturing the arrested Tibetans saying that torture is a “regular feature in the Chinese administered detention centres and prisons in Chinese occupied Tibet.”
