From: richter@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca (C. Richter)
Subject: Demonstrations, Torture Continue in Tibet
Organization: UTCS Public Access
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 11:39:09 GMT

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1. Continuing Reports About Demonstrations, Arrest, Torture and 
   Ill-Treatment in Labour Camps in Tibet
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From the Human Rights Desk, 
Department of Information and International Relations, 
Central Tibetan Administration, Dharamsala
Jan. 21, 1993
 
Torture Victims in Hospital
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Ngawang Yangkyi, a nun resident in Tsamkhung Nunnery, Lhasa, was arrested by 
the Chinese police on 21 August 1990 for taking part in a slogan-shouting 
demonstration, and detained at the Drapchi Prison ("TAR Prison No. 1) in 
Lhasa.  She is presently in "Lhasa People's Hospital" after severe ill-
treatment over a long period of time during torture-interrogation in prison. 
Here physical condition is stated to be very critical. 
 
Tashi, 25, ordained name Lhundup Kalden, became a monk at Gaden Monastery, 
Lhasa, in 1985.  He was born at Gyama Xiang (Dzong) in Maldrogungkar, 80 km
east of Lhasa.  He was arrested on 5 March 1988, the last day of the Great 
Prayer Festival in that year, when massive Tibetan demonstrations for 
independence led to a brutal Chinese crackdown. 
 
At the time of his arrest, he was stripped and flogged in the behind with 
iron bar and heavy sticks, which soaked him through in blood, and then 
clobbered on the head with an iron bar which rendered him unconscious. 
 
In prison, he was subjected to interrogations over a period of about 9 
months until December 1988, when he was sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment, 
to be served by "reform-through-labour", and deprived of political rights for 
one year.  He was found guilty of propagating "counter-revolutionary" views.  
He was taken to the Drapchi Prison complex ("TAR Prison No. 1") to serve 
his term on 6 March 1989.
 
On 17 May 1990, Tashi was again sentenced to an additional term of 9-year
imprisonment, allegedly for assisting (along with fellow-prisoner Lobsang 
Tenzin who was already under death sentence to be carried out after two 
years) Dawa (sentenced to death and deprived of political rights for life), 
Migmar Tashi (sentenced to death and deprived of politcal rights for life) 
and Dhondup Tsering (sentenced to death, stayed for two years, and deprived
of political rights for life) in alleged prison escape plan.  (It now 
emerges, according to an eye-witness report -- not yet corroborated -- 
recently received from Lhasa, that the three prisoners, had, in fact, 
founded an independence movement within the prison, known as "Tibetan Youths
Willing to Die for Free Tibet Brigade" (Bhod-yongs Shi-phod gshon-nui 
rang-btsen ru-khag) and got a number of independence posters made.  But 
before the posters could be used and distributed, the Chinese authorities 
came to know about it from informers within the prison.  And as no concrete
acts in furtherance of the group's aim had been carried out, it became easy 
for the Chinese to falsely charge them with having planned a prison escape.)
 
After the increased sentence, Tashi, along with the three sentence to death, 
was kept in chains, both by hand and feet, for ten months.  Because there 
was no scope for increasing his sentence, Lobsang Tenzin was kept in chains, 
in like fashion, for one year and seven months.  And even as they were thus 
chained, they were all made to work like all the other prisoners. 
 
Ever since he was clobbered on the head with an iron bar at the time of his 
arrest, Tashi had to go about with a ruptured head with no medical treatment.
His head had been throbbing in acute pain all the time.  It was in this 
state that he was subjected to torture-interrogations, and later, after 
sentence, made to labour in prison to fulfil his work-targets.  When once 
frantically struggling to fulfil his work-target his head hit some iron
railing at work site and he fell to the ground.  The prison doctor reportedly 
gave him three Chinese pills and sent him back to work, with no recommend-
ation to take rest even though he was in acute pain.  On 11 August 1992, when 
again he fell to the ground during work time, fellow-prisoners appealed to 
the prison guards to allow him to be taken to the hospital.  That day he was 
finally allowed to be taken to Lhasa People's Hospital.  Though kept in the 
emergency ward of the hospital up to 5 September 1992, he did not get any 
better.  Because of this his family made efforts and managed to get him 
transferred to Lhasa Mentsikhang (Tibetan Medical Centre). 
 
But even there he did not get any better; his head being all the time in 
great pain.  On top of that he is not able to stand on his feet.  Sometimes
he goes completely blind; at other times he becomes deaf.  Doctors have 
reportedly suggested that his brain or nerve system may have got damaged. 
But there are no facilities in Tibet for treatment of these.  He now remains 
confined to his hospital bed so long as the Chinese authorities would permit 
him. 
 
Despatched to Powo Labour Camp for Raising Tibetan Independence Slogans
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Khangsa Gyaltsen, 28, of Tongsa Township in Thentho Xiang, Zogang Dzong, was 
a trader before his arrest.  The following is a witness account from a 
former inmate at the Powo Dzong labour camp, southest of Lhasa, Tibet: 
 
On 15 March 1989, during the Chamdo monastery's festival for cermenonial
procession of Gyalwa Jhampa Gonpo, the upcoming Buddha, Khangsa Gyaltsen 
shouted, "Tibet is an independent country, may the Dalai Lama live for ten 
thousand years," before a crowd of thousands of Tibetans, lay as well as 
monks and nuns, and called on all Tibetans to unitedly join the independence 
campaign.  Earlier, at 3 o'clock in the morning of 15 October 1987, he had 
put up a poster on the wall of the Chamdo Dzong Bank, with "Tibet is an 
independent country, may the Dalai Lama live for ten thousand years" as the
main slogan.  Apprehending imminent arrest and torture, he ran away from 
Chamdo town, which lies in eastern Tibet.  However, on 7 July 1989, while 
Lhasa, he was arrested and kept in detention by the TAR Public Security
Bureau and later handed over to the Chamdo police station. 
 
Under police custody in Chamdo, he was subjected to a series of torture
interrogations, the first time by six persons.  For 13 days and nights he 
was kept in the air, tied with a rope.  He was interrogated thus by torture
with three different sizes of electric rods, different lengths of heavy 
sticks and collar ropes.  The second time, he was kept in dark-solitary 
confinement for eleven months, lying, at night, on a tattered mattress spread
on cold cement floor, and covering himself with a thin cotton quilt.  Not 
only was the food entirely inadequate, bu there was also not even enough
water to drink.  All this has made him very ill which, according to the 
report, is getting worse with each passing day. 
 
During the course of his interrogation in this state, a police officer 
reportedly told him: "You were able to get away in 1987 after putting up 
the posters in Chamdo because you ran away.  Otherwise you would have been 
shot dead on sight because the order to do so in the case of all who 
indulged in such activities had already been received from higher 
authorities."
 
On 28 June 1990, he was sentenced to five years of imprisonment by the 
Chamdo Intermendiate People's Court for indulging in counter-revolutionary
activity.  On 7 December 1990, he was taken to "reform through labour unit
No. 2, Brigade No. 3", in Damchu, Powo Dzong, to undergo reform-through-
labour.  He remains an inmate of this labour camp today.  Here prisoners 
are given nothing more than a little wheat Tsampa (flour of roasted wheat)
to eat while they are subjected to hard labour the whole year round.  Except
for a little less farm work in winter, the prisoners have to work for more 
than 10 hours each day.  It is very rare that a prisoner gets a rest-day
even on a Sunday. 
 
Dark Hole Confinement for Putting up Tibetan Independence Posters
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A source who recently returned from a visit to Tibet revealed that one 
Bhuchung had been arrested his village in Maldrogungkar, near Lhasa, by the 
Chinese after allegedly put up a number of posters against Chinese rule in
Tibet.
 
He had earlier, in 1989, escaped to India where he studied for some time and 
then returned to his village in Tibet. 
 
He was arrested in September, in the day time, from the house of Ama 
Yangdrol-la in Lhasa Kyirey, street no. 4.  A through search of his baggage
is stated to have revealed a number a leaflets and photographs which the 
Chinese authorities considered incriminating. 
 
He is presently reported to be detained in an underground prison -- stated to 
be the worst known prison -- in the area and food is not being allowed to be 
sent to him. 
 
Prison Letter Details Further Demonstrations and Arrests in Lhasa
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A prison letter received here recently from Lhasa, capital of Tibet, reveals 
that prisoners (the letter does not give the name of the prison), including 
monks and nuns, are being tortured by various methods.  It states that the 
prisoners, who are all serving more than 8 years in jail, are being forced to 
work day and night.  Monks and nuns are, after release, expelled from their 
monastic institutions and left without any means of livelihood and that 
because of torture and ill-treatment the health of many of the prisoners 
is irreparably damaged, the letter goes on. 
 
Despite all these, demonstrations calling for Tibetan independence continue 
to take place.  The letter, expressing earnest hope and prayer that because of 
steadfast efforts of the Dalai Lama, all Tibetans in and out of prison may one 
day be united as citizens of free Tibet, gives the following list of 
demonstrations and names of some of those whom took part them:
 
(1)   On the 8th day of the 12th month by the Tibetan calendar, the following 
persons were arrested after staging an independence demonstration in Lhasa:
 
   1. Yeshe Penpa (of Gaden Choekhor)     8. Dorje 
   2. Sonam Bhagdro (Gaden Monastery)     9. Jhampa Tenzin
   3. Dawa (Gyenpa, i.e., senior)        10. Tsering Bhagdro 
   4. Tenzin                             11. Jhampa Tenzin 
   5. Dawa (Chungwa, i.e. junior)        12. Penpar
   6. Lobsang Tenzin                     13. Lobsang Gyatso
   7. Tenzin Damdul                      14. Dhondup
 
(2)   Two monks, Lhagyal and Sherab, of Samye Monastery staged a 
demonstration on the day celebrated by the Chinese authorities as the 40th
anniversary of their liberation of Tibet.  They displayed the Tibetan 
national flag and distributed one hundred and forty leaflets.  They were 
arrested and charged as reactionary elements.  They are now detained in 
Drapchi Prison. 
 
(3)   On 14 March 1992 (10th day of 2nd month by Tibetan calendar), the
following Tibetans were arrested for taking part in a demonstration in 
Lhasa: 
 
  1. Lobsang Dhargye* (of Sa-ngag Mon.)  5. Kelsang
  2. Dorje (Gaden Monastery)             6. Jamyang
  3. Tsering Phuntsok                    7. Nyidrol (nun)
  4. Tenzin Nyima
 
(4)  On 17 April 1992 (15th day 3rd month by Tibetan calendar), the following
Tibetans were arrested for taking part in a demonstration in Lhasa:
 
  1. Rinchen Dawa (nun)                  2. Nomdrol Kunchok
 
(5)  On 15th day 3rd month by Tibetan calendar in 1992, the following Tibetans 
were arrested for staging a demonstration:
 
  1. Lobsang Sherab (of Phurbachog)      3. Lobsang Ludrup
  2. Lobsang Dorje                       4. Migmar
 
(6)  On 16 May 1992 (15th day of 4th month by Tibetan calendar), the 
following Tibetans were arrested for taking part in a demonstration in Lhasa:
 
  1. Ngawang Palgon (of Drepung M.)     10. Gyaltsen Ye-nyin
  2. Penpa                              11. Gyaltsen Dhamchoe 
  3. Jorden                             12. Rinchen Dolma
  4. Bhagdro                            13. Tsamchoe
  5. Samdrup                            14. Ngawang Dadron
  6. Nyima                              15. Ngawang Pema
  7. Ngawang Rigdron                    16. Gyaltsen Kunsang 
  8. Lobsang Cheokyi                    17. Lobsang Dolma
  9. Ngawang Nyima                      18. Sangdrol
 
(7)  On 8 June 1992 (8th day 5th month by Tibetan calendar), the following 
Tibetans were arrested for taking part in a demonstration in Lhasa:
 
  1. Chusang                             4. Dawa Dolma
  2. Ngawang Nyidron                     5. Dekyi
  3. Ngagchung
 
(8)  On 12 August 1992 (14th day 6th month by Tibetan calendar), the 
following Tibetans were arrested for taking part in a demonstration in 
Lhasa:
 
  1. Dechen Tsultrim* (of Khamar Gonpa)  6. Ngawang Jigme* (of Phenpo Gonpa)
  2. Lobsang Palden*  (Gyangtse Gonpa)   7. Choezom (nun, Chubsang Nunnery)
  3. Ngawang Soepa*  (25 years old)      8. Ngawang Yangchen* (nun Chubsang)
  4. Ngawang Dorje*  (21 years old)      9. Yeshe Dolma* (24 years old, 
  5. Ngawang Lhundrup*                         nun from Chubsang Nunnery)
 
Other Arrest Reports Received from Tibet
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NAME      AGE  BIRTH PLACE           ARRESTED ON  TERM  OCCUPATION
Ngodrup   24   Phenpo Lhundup Xian   2 June 91     3       
Phurbu    25   Toelung Dechen Dzong  25 April 90   3    monk, Draglalhubuk
Tenzin    34   Kongpo Minling Xian   1 Nov 91      3    monk, Samye Chimbu
Phuntsog  23   Maldrogungkar Xian    14 Sept 90    2    monk, Tsomonling
Tenzin    23   Maldrogungkar Xian    14 Sept 90    2    monk, Tashi Choling 
Bhutsog   23   Panam Xian            25 Oct 89     3    monk, Draglalhubuk
 
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* Photo received

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