Dharamsala, October 18 – TCHRD received confirmed information through reliable sources that four monks from Khangmar Monastery in Sangkar Township, Marthang County, Ngaba Tibet Autonomous Prefecture (“TAP”), Sichuan, have been sentenced to varying heavy imprisonment terms of eight to twelve years on 29 August 2003. Another monk and a thangka (painted religious scroll) painter have also been arrested and sentenced to one-year imprisonment term.
Sherthar, 35, Soepa, 33, Tsogphel, 31, have been sentenced to twelve years’ imprisonment term and Woeser, 30, to eight years’ imprisonment term. Another monk identified as Mingyur, 29, and a thangka painter (name unknown), in the monastery have also been arrested and sentenced to one-year imprisonment term. All of them are reportedly incarcerated in Ngaba “TAP” Prison. It is likely that the monks who received lengthy terms would soon be transferred to Maowan Prison (Ch: Aba Jlan yu), located in Maowan Qiang Autnomous County in Ngaba “TAP”. This prison accomodate prisoners who are sentenced to lengthy terms from Ngaba and Kardze regions.
The monks were arrested in mid January 2003 when they held a long life prayer ceremony for the Dalai Lama and for the successful completion of the Kalachakra teachings (Tibetan Buddhism wheel-of-time teachings) being conducted in Bodh Gaya, India, at the time. Reportedly ten monks from the monastery had gathered in the monastery prayer hall when the County Public Security Bureau (“PSB”) officials arrived in the monastery. The officials immediately arrested the monks and ransacked their quarters. Portraits of the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama were discovered in the monks’ quarters. The monks were then whisked away to the Ngaba “TAP” PSB Detention Centre. Tsogphel, 28, another monk with the same name, was released after two months’ detention. Ngaba “TAP, People’s Intermediate Court formally sentenced the five monks and the thangka painter to imprisonment terms on 29 August 2003.
Khangmar Monastery houses around 120 monks and until the recent arrest of the monks, the monastery has been free of interference by the Chinese authorities except for occasional routine visits. In the wake of the arrest, the monastery is likely to be highly monitored and more arrest is feared. All the sentenced monks are from nomadic families and had joined the monastery at different ages. Sherthar is the chant master of the monastery. It is learnt that Tsogphel is handicap in his right arm. The thangka painter is originally from Barkham County but constantly travels to paint thangkas in different monasteries and houses.
Contact Person: Tenzin Norgay
TCHRD
Phone no: 91 1892 223363/225874
E-mail: dsala@tchrd.org
