On 14th October, 2011, Geshe Tsultrim Gyatso of Amdo Ditsa monastery, was arrested by the secret security bureau of the Amdo Tsolho Trikha Dzong. He is 40 years old and is from the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Serchen’s (Ch:Gung-Ho) Mhokru village. For the last 10 years, he has been the chief administrator of Ditsa Monastery. He has also served as a teacher of various Tibetan schools in the area.
On 19th October 2011, Topden from Kham Derge Dzogchen and a few other people from Kham region marked the auspicious 49th day since the death of former Kalon Tripa Juchen Thupten Namgyal by lighting butter lamps at the Tsuklhakhang. They were prevented from carrying out the mourning by the local Chinese police and Topden was arrested for organising the prayer vigil. His whereabouts remain unknown at the moment.
On 19th October 2011, a young Tibetan political activist and writer, Mechey, was arrested by the secret security bureau of the Chinese police at his home. Mechey’s real name is Choepa Lugyal and he is from Yatsi in north-eastern Tibet. He is working as a staff of People’s Publishing House in Gansu.
Dawa Tsering, a 38 year old monk from Karze monastery in Karze Dzong, set himself on fire while chanting, “Long live His Holiness the Dalai Lama” during an annual religious event on 25th October 2011. He was taken to the nearby People’s Hospital by passers-by but he refused any kind of medication and treatment saying he immolated himself for Tibet and the Tibetan people. His physical condition is unknown at this time.
Since march this year, a total of 10 Tibetans, including both monks and lay persons, have self-immolated themselves for Tibet and the Tibetan cause. Of the 10, five of them have passed away and the condition of the remaining five is still unknown. The Chinese government, on its part, has accused the “Dalai clique” of motivating the self-immolators and has described the self-immolations of the Tibetans as an act of terrorism through its propaganda machinery.
The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile would like to state that these allegations of the Chinese government are completely baseless and is a shameless act of pointing fingers at others while hiding its own failed policies in Tibet.
The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile urges the various governmental and non-governmental organizations around the world, especially the United Nations to take action with regard to the unjust and failed policies being carried out by the Chinese government in Tibet and call for the proper medical treatment of those Tibetans injured in the self-immolations. We also call upon the world community to press the Chinese government for the quick release of Ditsa monastery’s Geshe Tsultrim Gyatso, Derge Dzogchen Topden and and Tibetan writer and political activist Mechey. At the same time, we would like to call upon an independent investigation into the grim situation prevailing inside Tibet by independent journalists, researchers and political leaders. If such a thing could happen, the Chinese propaganda of equality and a harmonious society will be blown and truth will prevail. Otherwise, we strongly oppose the Chinese government’s attitude of blaming others for their own mistakes.
The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile
Dharamshala
27th October,2011