Tibetan monks sent to labor camps for spreading news of Buddhist statue’s destruction — Radio Free Asia

Eleven Tibetans beaten and jailed by Chinese authorities in January for spreading news of the damage of a 99-foot-tall Buddha statue and lots of prayer wheels in southwestern Chinas Sichuan province have actually been sent out to labor camps in the region, Tibetans with knowledge of the scenario said Friday.
Monks Tashi Dorjee, Tsering Samdup, Nyima Lhamo, and Abbot Pelga, along with Pelgas assistant Nyima, and six other unidentified Tibetans were detained following the destruction of the statue and 45 conventional prayer wheels in Drago (Luhuo) county of Kardze (in Chinese, Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in December 2021, stated a Tibetan in exile who decreased to be called for security factors.
” [They] are still being held in Chinese custody and now have actually been sent to labor camps,” he informed RFA. The 11 were detained on suspicion of sending out news and images of the statues damage– reported exclusively by RFA in early January– to contacts outside the area.
” A few of them also sustained injuries from poundings and torture, however much about their present conditions remain unknown,” the Tibetan in exile said.
Authorities have constraints still in place at both the abbey and in the county, he stated.
” A police station has actually been established near the Mani prayer wheel that was demolished previously by the Chinese authorities in Drago,” he said. “A few monks from the monastery and a couple of other individuals are stationed in this authorities station to watch on the daily activities of regional Tibetans and the monks of Drago Monastery.
” It is very hard to discuss how intense the scenario in Drago is at the moment,” the source said.
Authorities in Chinas Sichuan province forced Tibetan homeowners and monks to enjoy the demolition of the Buddha statue following official grievances that it was too expensive, Tibetan sources told RFA in an earlier report.
The prayer wheels authorities destroyed at the very same time had actually been established for usage by Tibetan pilgrims and other adorers, they said.
Pema Gyal, a scientist at Tibet Watch, a nonprofit that promotes the human rights, said that Tibetans who live in Drago county have informed his group that are constantly interrogated by Chinese authorities and deal with a variety of restrictions on their activity.
” So, it is clear that the Chinese government continues to suppress the Tibetans,” he told RFA.
Because of previous protests staged in the county, a Tibetan monk from Drago who now lives in exile said Chinese authorities are wielding a heavy hand.
Chinese federal government authorities are “extra mindful of the region and attempt to eliminate everything that empowers the Tibetan language and Buddhist organizations,” the monk said.
A previous demonstration versus Chinese guideline occurred in 2012 in Drago, causing the arrests of numerous Tibetans, eight of whom are still serving jail terms, RFA just recently gained from Tibetan sources with understanding of the matter.
They include Sonam Lhundup, who was sentenced to life in prison; Chakbe, sentenced to 12 years; Kunthok, sentenced to 13 years; Kundup, sentenced to 11 years; and Tashi Dhargay and Namgyal Dhoundup, who each were sentenced to 14 years. 2 other unknown Tibetans are serving sentences of unknown durations.
Equated by Tenzin Dickyi for RFAs Tibetan Service. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
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