By Kalsang Rinchen
Dharamsala, April 7 – A lone protester was arrested in Kardze on Sunday by Chinese police, Dhondup Tashi, a Tibetan living here with contacts in the area told Phayul.
Jampa Sonam, aged 21, shouted slogans calling for “Dalai Lama’s long life” and “Tibetan independence” outside the government administrative building near the Kardze monastery in Kumbum village, Kardze.
Chinese police immediately arrived at the protest site and beat him up severely, said the source. “He was then taken in a vehicle by the police but we don’t know where.”
In another incident, Chinese police beat up 3 teenagers on the night of March 23, 2009 in Kardze. 12-year-old Dhondup Rinchen from Dokham village and two friends pasted handwritten posters calling for ‘free Tibet’ and ‘long life for Dalai Lama’, according to Gelong, a monk of Sera monastery. The three boys were beaten up severely and expelled from school for 10 days. The families of the boys had been charged monetary penalty by the authorities.
Meanwhile, peasants in Tibetan areas of Kardze continue to defy government orders to begin farming activities.
However, the exile Tibetan government’s Prime Minister Samdhong Rinpoche yesterday urged the Tibetans in Kardze to comply with the government orders and start farming.
Talking to Voice of Tibet radio service, Rinpoche said though he acknowledges the boycott being a non-violent approach and deserving of praise he fears it might provoke violent crackdown on Tibetans.
“I urge the Tibetans to begin farming activities,” said the Tibetan Prime Minister.
