Tibetan Information Office (TIO) is based in Canberra.

Update on Tibet Demonstrations, 2 May 2008

28 April 2008: Darlag (Ch: Dari) County, Golog “TAP,” Qinghai Province -Tibetan man shot dead by Public Security official

Following several subsequent peaceful protests in Darlag County since 21 March, the security forces and the armed forces have arrested countless monks and lay people. Some Tibetan protesters have managed to escape and have not yet been arrested. Additional armed forces and security forces were deployed on 28 April to arrest the protestors who had fled. One security official was also reported to have died in the process of attempting to arrest those who had fled.

During an attempt by these officials to arrest protestors, a monk named Choedhen alias Choetop (age 22) was shot dead on the spot by the public security officials on 28 April. Below are his details.*
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* In addition to the already released 64 total names and details of Tibetans killed during the recent demonstrations, here we are releasing 1 more name (with details) from the current death toll list.

Shugseb Nunnery, Tselnashang, Chushul (Ch: Chushui) County, Lhasa municipality-19 nuns and 4 monks arrested and detained

On 28 April, 19 nuns including Dangdug and Tsondue of Shugseb Nunnery, and four monks from the Gangri-Thoekar Monastery, located close to the nunnery, have been arrested by the County police for organizing a peaceful protest in the region . They are being detained in the Chushul County prison. The status of their well-being is unknown. This event was triggered by a previous incident around 10 March, when 19 nuns from the Shugseb Nunnery organized a peaceful protest march from their monastery to Nyen Thangla Chenmo. These nuns were then arrested by the Chinese police and were detained in the Chushul County prison.

Following which all the nuns from Chushul nunnery protested by demanding the immediate release of all those nuns who were detained, failing which they threatened that they will continue to organize more protests. When the Chinese governmental “work teams” failed to control the situation, Chinese armed police intervened in the situation.

Following this incident, all the nuns who were detained in the county prison were released on 15 March. Meanwhile, on the evening of the same day, some masked people, without any indication of their gender, have reportedly beat some officials of the “work teams.” This incident further led to the imposition of more restrictions within the Monastery, suspecting those masked people to be nuns from the monastery.

During the beginning of April, some more officials from the “work teams” forced and harassed the nuns to denounce His Holiness the Dalai Lama. These events in turn provoked the above mentioned 19 nuns and the four monks from the Thoekar Monastery to hold a protest rally in the area.

Currently, the armed forces have imposed tight restrictions within the nunnery and the monastery. There are about 300 nuns in the Shugseb Nunnery and about 20 monks in the Thoekar Monastery.

26 April 2008

Derge (Ch: Dege) County, Karze “TAP,” Sichuan Province-Arrest and protests continue

Tashi Gyaltsen, former abbot and Samphel, a chant master of the Zakhog Monastery of Derge County were arrested at around 8 am, on 26 April. On 27 April, around mid-night, tutor Lobsang Dhonyoe, Phurga and Tanam were arrested. Meanwhile, Tanam and Phurga were released early in the morning the next day on 28 April. Others still remain detained and the region continues to be under very tight restriction.

On 7 April, some flyers supporting Tibetan Independence were found in the neighborhood of Zabharma Monastary area. No further details are available.

Sershul (Ch: Shiqu) County, Karze “TAP,” Sichuan Province -Chinese governmental “work teams” attempt to beef up “Patriotic re-education campaign.”

On 26 April, a group of monks while refusing to sign some kind of statements that lacked explanations of its purposes walked during a “patriotic re-education” class at Bada Samdupling Monastery, in Tzenda Township, Sershul County. Chinese governmental “work teams” were hoping to conduct a more effective “patriotic re-education campaign” at the monastery. Out of 70 monks who study at the monastery, Gelek Thapkhey (age 27), Gelek Drakpa (age 28) and Tenzin Phuntsok (age 17) were arrested during one of the protests in March in Lhasa. Further details about where they are being detained remain unknown.

25 April 2008

Lhundrup (Ch: Lingzhi) County, Lhasa Municipality- A nun in critical condition after receiving beatings for her participation in peaceful protest

Around 20 people from the Gaden Choekhor town, who were arrested during the protests in March, were transferred to Lhasa on 25 April. A nun from Shar Bhumpa nunnery, from Gerpa family, Chugkha Jang village, Phenpo Lhundrup County, who had participated in the protests in March was severely beaten and injured and was admitted to the County Hospital. Although, recently she was discharged from the hospital, she was in a very bad condition. Currently, she is in a critical condition at the County hospital.

17 April 2008

Sog (Ch: Sou) Dzong County, Nagchu (Ch: Naqu shen) Prefecture-Man arrested for opposing “patriotic-reeducation” class

During a “patriotic re-education” class being held on 17 April in Yang-ngae village, Rawa Township, Sog County, Chinese police arrested a man named Chambu Gudup (age 52) from Yonag village. He was arrested for allegedly protesting against the Chinese government while the class was being held.

15 April 2008

Labrang Tashi-kyil Monastery, Sangchu (Ch: Xiahe) County, Kanlho “TAP,” Gansu Province -Mid-night Raid in Monastery, three badly injured

On 15 April, the Chinese police performed a late night raid at the monks’ quarters of Labrang Tashi-kyil Monastery in Sangchu County. A group of monks were arrested. Among those arrested were three monks from the Gyume Monastery (part of Labrang Tashi-kyil Monastery) .They are LuShoepa Tenzin, Reptsa Gedun Nagdag, Sangkhog Jamyang Jinpa who were also severely hurt and injured by the Chinese police after being arrested and are currently admitted to a hospital. However, the location of the hospital is not known.