#22.1

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.

#9.1

News from Qinghai, via TCHRD:

On 22 March 2008, around hundreds of Tibetans carried out a peaceful protest in Markhul-thang Township, consisted of four villages, which is located in Chentsa County, Malho “TAP”, Qinghai Province in north-eastern Tibet according to information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD).

The Tibetans in Markhul-thang Township were carrying out special religious ceremony for a prosperous bounty harvest for this year. Shortly after the end of ritual ceremony, several hundreds of Tibetans erupted into a peaceful protest by proceeding to the County headquarter chanting slogans.

According to sources, the peaceful Tibetan protestors were proceeding to the County Headquarter carrying a portrait of the Dalai Lama and the missing eleventh Panchen Lama Gedun Choekyi Nyima. In addition to that, the peaceful Tibetan protestors were carrying the banned Tibetan National flag and were shouting slogans “Long Live the Dalai Lama”, “The Dalai Lama to return to Tibet”, “Release the eleventh Panchen Lama Erdeni Gedun Choekyi Nyima” and “Freedom for Tibetan people”.

However, when the peaceful Tibetan protestors came near the County headquarter, prominent local religious leaders requested the peaceful protestors intervened and turn away from continuing their demonstration to avoid bloodshed and loosing human lives. The demonstrators were later sent back to their respective places. Sources say that hundreds of Chinese security forces were expecting the peaceful protestors at the County headquarter in full combat kit to quell and disperse the peaceful protestors.

A large mobilization of Chinese paramilitary troops from Chinese city of Seling (Ch: Xining) to Chentsa County is on a full swing to quell the Tibetan protestors when the report last came in. The heavy security blanket is maintaining a close vigil on the protestors as well as patrolling the streets. The situation on the ground is said to be tense and volatile.

#6.4

ICT has some eyewitness accounts from foreign tourists in Tibet:

A female tourist from eastern Europe contacted ICT today to report that she had been to Labrang monastery, the scene of large-scale protests by monks and laypeople on March 16, and seen police “beating monks and old women right in front of me — I still cry just thinking about it”. She left the area, traveling towards Machu county town in Qinghai where she then witnessed and photographed the aftermath of protests on March 18 when government and police buildings were attacked and set on fire on March 18. In Machu, she was apprehended by police who confiscated her camera and deleted all of her pictures. However, pictures of the destruction in Machu have since emerged through another source and are circulating widely on the Internet.

She told ICT that she was driven away from Machu in a jeep “to the other side of the province” and kept at a police station for four hours, and that police took copies of her passport. She contacted ICT from Xining, the provincial capital of Qinghai (Amdo) where she said she seemed to be the only foreigner in the city, and that she was closely followed everywhere she went.