By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, April 13: The Tibetan officials of the Chinese government arrested in Machu County for protesting dismissal from their job on April 8 were beaten and robbed by Chinese police before being freed from custody two days later on April 10, reported RFA.
Earlier reports stated that around 15 Tibetans were arrested. However, sources confirmed that 29 Tibetans on protest outside the government office in Machu County were arrested.
Reportedly, a second group gathered to protest in support of those arrested a day earlier but were also arrested.
“They were beaten up by the police, who also damaged and confiscated their mobile phones and took away their gold rings,” a source said on condition of anonymity.
He also added that the protesters demanded compensation for the losses and damage to their property but the authorities ‘refused to oblige.’
“They suspect that their appeal for their jobs has been given a political ‘twist’ and that authorities are now doing their best to damage their future prospects,” the source was quoted as saying.
According to the source, the protesters explained that they had no political motivations for staging their protest and that they were just asking for their jobs to be restored.
However, Tibetans allege that their appeal was ignored and instead the authorities instated replacements were ‘under qualified’ or had connections with influential county officials. The same source also said that authorities hired people who had paid others to sit for examinations in their place.
