2011-06-07
They are held for demonstrations against Chinese rule.
AFP
Tibetan monks at a monastery in China's southwestern Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, March 23, 2008.
Three Tibetan monks in a Tibetan-majority area of China protested against Chinese rule in separate actions this week, drawing severe beatings by police, sources in the region and in exile said.
The protests took place in the Kardze (in Chinese, Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of China’s southwestern Sichuan province, an area known for frequent protests by Tibetans against Beijing's rule.
“On June 6, at around 2:30 pm, two young monks appeared at Do Sengge in Kardze town, a place used by police for their headquarters,” a local Tibetan told RFA, speaking on condition of anonymity and identifying the protesters as Tsewang Tashi and Gyurme Sonam, both around 18 years old.
“They shouted slogans calling for the long life and return to Tibet of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and calling for freedom for Tibet. They also threw leaflets in the air,” the man said.
Police rushed in and attacked the two with iron rods before detaining them, he said, adding that “local residents saw stains of blood on the pavement from the beating.”
Speaking separately to RFA, another resident of Kardze town confirmed the incident, saying that though she did not witness the event, “I heard from others that two monks had protested downtown.”
‘Gestures of support’
The next day at around noon, another monk staged a solitary protest in downtown Kardze, and was also detained and beaten, sources said.
“At mid-day today, June 7, a monk named Oser Phuntsog suddenly appeared in the middle of town and shouted slogans,” Tenzin Namgyal, a former Tibetan political prisoner now based in India said, citing contacts in the region.
“Since there was an incident in Kardze the day before, armed police forces were present everywhere, and [Oser Phuntsog] was detained, severely beaten, and taken from the area,” he said.
“Many Tibetans who witnessed the incident made gestures of support and showed their displeasure when Oser Phuntsog was beaten and taken away.”
“No information is available about his present condition or whereabouts,” he said.
A Tibetan living in Belgium confirmed the protests had taken place, citing sources in Kardze.
“Three monks protested in Kardze town for two days in a group of two monks on June 6 and one monk on June 7,” the source, named Trechoe, said.
“They are currently detained at a prison in Kardze town near the hospital,” he added.
Attempts to reach Kardze police authorities for comment on Tuesday were unsuccessful.
Reported by RFA’s Tibetan service. Translations by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Richard Finney.
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/protest-06072011204542.html
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