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Latest updates from the Tibetan Centre For Human Rights and Democracy:

Over hundred Tibetans arrested in Rebkong County
Over one hundred Tibetans, including monks and lay people, have been arrested today for protesting by the Chinese security forces in Rebkong County (Ch: Tongren Xian), Malho (Ch: Huangnan) “Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture”, Qinghai Province, according to confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD).

China closes down Taktsang Lhamo Kirti Monastic School
In the aftermath of series of Tibetan protests across Ngaba region in eastern Tibet, the Chinese authorities of Ngaba “Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture” (‘TAP’) have indefinitely closed down the school run by Taktsang Lhamo Kirti Monastery on 8 April 2008, according to confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD).

A former chief of Rong Gonchen Monastery in critical condition
According to fresh development of situation in Rong Gonchen Monastery in Rebkong, the Chinese authorities are not allowing anyone to meet the arrested Tibetans in detention centres. Multiple sources confirm that 80-year-old Alak Khasutsang, a former chief of Rong Gonchen Monastery, who tried to diffuse the tension between the Tibetan demonstrators and the Chinese security forces on 17 April has reportedly sustained severe head injury during the police crackdown and was said to be in a critical condition. He was also known to be suffering from a high blood pressure. One source reported that he was taken to a hospital in Xining City for treatment. However, there was no exact information about his current whereabouts.

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Latest via TCHRD:

Nuns of Tawu County hold prayer session for those killed in recent crackdown

In the aftermath of severe crackdown on the Tibetan protesters by Chinese military forces across various parts of Tibet since 10 March which led to the deaths of scores of Tibetans, a subtle form of protests are surfacing from Tibet in the form of staging peaceful solidarity prayer procession despite authorities’ placing severe restriction.

The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) received confirm information from reliable sources that on 2 April 2008 at 8 AM (Beijing Standard Time), around 200 nuns of Ratroe Nunnery in Tawu County (Ch: Daifu Xian), Kardze “Tibet Autonomous Prefecture” (“TAP”), Sichuan Province set off a peaceful procession to showcase their solidarity with and pray for those who lost their lives in the recent spat of protests across the Tibetan plateau by chanting Buddhist prayers. The nuns of Ratroe Nunnery marched towards the county headquarters chanting Buddhist prayers such as, prayer for the Dalai Lama’s longevity and Dolma (Tara prayer).

According to sources, the People’s Armed Police (PAP) and the Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers ordered the chanting nuns to return to their nunnery or be forcibly returned. The nuns dispersed and return to their nunnery after offering prayers in front of Tawu County government headquarters. There is no immediate report of arrest of nuns although eyewitnesses report a heavy presence of the PAP and PSB during the peaceful procession.

In a similar peaceful protest in Holkha Township in Tsigorthang County on 25 March, where hundreds of Tibetans staged a peaceful solidarity march and later held a prayer session for those who lost their lives in the recent series of protests in Tibet. Following the peace march and prayer session at the township government headquarters, three Tibetans were arbitrarily arrested in an early morning raid in their home by the PAP and PSB officials. In the following days four more Tibetans were also arrested and their whereabouts are still unknown to their families.

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From TCHRD:

China arrest over 572 monks from Kirti Monastery in two-day raid

From credible information received from multiple sources in Tibet by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), a total of 572 monks from Ngaba Kirti Monastery were arrested by the Chinese People’s Armed Police (PAP) and Public Security Bureau (PSB) following a two day raid in monks’ residence on 28 and 29 March 2008.

As reported earlier by the Centre, more information on the number of monks arrested following two days of raids in Ngaba Kirti Monastery in Ngaba County (Ch:Aba Xian), Ngaba ” Tibet Autonomous Prefecture” (‘TAP’), Sichuan Province, is surfacing from the area. According to several credible sources, a total of 572 monks including novice as young as ten years old from Kirti Monastery were known to have been arrested in two days’ raid at the monastery by PAP and PSB officials. Before the launch of raids in the monastery on 28 March, hundreds of PAP and PSB reached the monastery, dispersed people, mostly devotees and visitors gathered around the monastery compound, and ordered surrounding shops to be shut down.

During the sudden and thorough raid, monks with modern communication gadgets such as mobile phones, cameras, computers or MP3 players in their residences were known to have been arrested under suspicion of having communicated with the exile Tibetan communities. The PAP and PSB ransacked every room of the monastery, baring every box and cupboard with rifle butts. There were even reports of security forces taking advantage by taking away valuable items from monks’ residences. The sources also confirmed that in an attempt to hurt the religious sentiment of the Buddhist monks, the PAP and PSB officials forced monks to step over the portraits of the Dalai Lama found in monks’ residences. The security forces even took photographs of monks who were coerced to hold the banned Tibetan national flag and portrait of the Dalai Lama to use as evidence of their crimes. The sources confirmed that symbolic ceremonial weapons hung on the statues of protecting deities inside the monastery altar were also reported to have been confiscated, and were accused of being weapons used by the protesters.

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Over hundred of monks arrested after a raid in Ngaba Kirti Monastery ^{via TCHRD}

Earlier this morning, hundreds of PAP and PSB came to Ngaba Kirti Monastery, dispersed people, mostly devotees, visitors gathered around the monastery compound and ordered surrounding shops to shut down.

At around 12 noon (Beijing Standard time), PAP and PSB forces stormed into Ngaba Kirti Monastery, in Ngaba County (Ch: Aba Xian), Ngaba “TAP” Sichuan Province. At first the PAP and PSB forces barred the monks of Ngaba Kirti Monastery from venturing out of their rooms, followed by a sudden raid carried out in each and every monk’s room, ransacking any portraits of the Dalai Lama and looking for any incriminating documents. At around 5:00 PM (Beijing Standard Time) at least a hundred monks were known to have been forcibly taken away by the armed forces to Ngaba County PSB Detention Centre after the raid. The current atmosphere inside the Kirti Monastery is known to be very tense and volatile.

According to the latest information from Tibet, sandbag barricades were erected by People’s Armed Police (PAP) around the Kirti Monastery and surroundings area to curb the fresh outbreak of protest by the local residents of Ngaba County.

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RFA reports on the most recent protests:

2,000 Tibetans Defy Chinese Crackdown as China Admits Shooting

“In the Tsekhog [Zeku] area in Huangnan prefecture, the monks are continuing their peaceful protests as of March 20,” a protester told an Amdo dialect reporter from RFA’s Tibetan service.

“Roughly 2,000 Tibetans, both monks and laypersons, are involved in the protests. The protesters are calling for the Chinese leadership to open a peaceful dialogue with the Dalai Lama and resolve the Tibetan issue peacefully,” the protester said, over the sound of slogans being chanted.

The protesters, who live in a traditionally Tibetan area of Qinghai which is home to large numbers of nomadic herders, were demanding a meaningful autonomous status inclusive of all Tibetan areas, but within the People’s Republic of China, he added.

They were also demanding that the Chinese leadership allow the Dalai Lama to visit the Amdo region, a cry raised during protests in another Sichuan town, Lithang, last summer.

“Right now there are no security forces in the area but we heard that they are coming. We have no freedom inside China,” the protester said. “We are right now protesting in front of the county government offices. We are about 2,000 protesters and we are protesting peacefully.”

Residents of Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) autonomous prefecture in Sichuan said two monks were shot dead by Chinese armed police after they defied a police cordon set up around the Kirti monastery. Local residents also said a “massacre” had occurred during the clashes around Kirti.

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Tanks in Machu

Free Tibet Campaign’s contact in Machu County has spoken online with a very reliable source in Machu County. The source told our contact that he had witnessed at 5pm local time the arrival in Machu County of 25 trucks carrying troops armed with guns. The eyewitness said he had also seen several tanks arriving in the county. Theyewitness has gone to try and take photos of the recently arrived troops carrying trucks and tanks. The eyewitness is now attempting to secure photos of the troops and tanks.

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News Just in: Fresh protest by Amdo Ngaba Kirti monks (TCHRD.org)

 

At around 11.30 AM (Beijing Time), thousands of Tibetan monks of Amdo Ngaba Kirti Monastery, in Ngaba County (Ch: Aba), Ngaba “Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture” (“TAP”) Sichuan Province, gathered for a prayer session this morning. Shortly after the end of morning prayer session, thousands of monks erupted into spontaneous protest by raising slogans calling for “Tibet independence”, “return of the Dalai Lama” and “freedom for Tibet”, according to a confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD).

However, according to the latest report just in, monks of Amdo Ngaba Kirti Monastery which housed around 2800 monks, after morning Mani Dungdrup prayer session, the monks then erupted in a spontaneous protest by raising the banned Tibetan national flag, joined by the lay Tibetans, shouted slogans calling for “Bod Gyalo” (Victory to Tibet, “Long Live the Dalai Lama”. In moment’s time, the Chinese security police burst into the Monastery campus and lobbed tear gas on the Tibetan protestors. The Chinese security police were currently blocking the protestors from marching out of the Monastery premises. At the moment, there is no information about the arrests when the information last came in. The Centre is keeping track of the development inside Tibet and will update as and when more information surfaces.