TCHRD Press Release – 25 March
Following a peaceful protest in Drango County (Ch: Luhuo xian), Kardze “TAP”, Sichuan Province, on 24 March 2008 which resulted in the death of one Tibetan and another left in critical condition after People’s Armed Police (PAP) fired indiscriminately into the protesting crowd, the monks of Drango Gaden Rabten Nampargyalpeling Monastery organized a special prayer session for the deceased in the morning of 25 March.
According to confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), at around 8:00 AM (Beijing Standard Time) on 25 March, the dead body of the 18-year-old monk, Kunga, who was shot dead in the protest a day before was brought to Drango Gaden Rabten Nampargyalpeling Monastery in Drango County by monks for a mass special prayer session. After the prayer, around 10 AM (BST) more than 400 monks of the monastery decided to hold a solidarity peaceful protest against the Chinese rule and at the same time vowed to stand up and support each other in case if death or detention occur to any of the monks during protest. The monks in their complete monastic robes proceed with their plan by raising slogans “Dalai Lama should return to the rightful throne in the Potala Palace”, “Release Panchen Lama”, “Stop current repression in Tibet” and “Independence and Democracy for Tibet.”
The protesters headed towards the county headquarters, but were blocked by PAP and Public Security Bureau (PSB) forces stationed on the bridge in between the county government headquarters and the monastery. The protesting monks managed to push forward with their march although forcibly obstructed by the Chinese security forces. The monks joined by some lay people proceeded with their protest march and shouted slogans, when the protesters reached the County Market square, the security forces started firing live ammunitions and blocked all alleys of county market. In short time, protesters lay down on the road to avoid bullet fire and shouted for the protesters to stand together. Though few agitated protesters hurled stones at the military trucks during the protest, however, senior monks present in the protest stopped them from doing so. The monks continued with their protest shouting slogans for a couple of hours before being ruthlessly crushed by additional forces of PAP and PSB. According to sources within Tibet, the protesting monks rushed back to their monastery. At the moment situation in the area is known to be very tense with every possibility of protesting monks and laypeople getting arrested.
The present condition of Tsewang Dhondup, 30-year-old monk who was injured after being shot by Chinese security forces is known to be critical. There has been no information about injury and casualty in yesterday’s incident.
TCHRD strongly condemns the violent crackdown on the peaceful Tibetan protestors by the Chinese security forces. This incident is yet another proof to expose China’s claims that they are dealing with the Tibetan protestors in a ‘restrained manner’. TCHRD urges the Chinese authorities to immediately put an end to violent and brutal crackdown on the peaceful Tibetan protestors and respect the fundamental human rights of the Tibetan people enshrined in the Chinese constitution.
