human rights update 2009 - december

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 4

HUMAN RIGHTS updateis a monthly newsletter of the

Tibetan Centre forHuman Rights and Democracy.

www.tchrd.org

TIBETAN CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACYDECEMBER 2009

Reg. no: HP/DMA/105/2008-2010

CONTENT

-A Tibetan writer-photographer sentenced

(pg 1 )

-Tonkhor shooting survivor reaches exile

with harrowing tale( pg 4)

-Testimony of Tongkhor Dorjee Rinchen (pg

5)

-The list of 14 death Tibetan prosters (pg 6

-List of arrestees (pg 7)

-Tibetan New Year Boy cott (pg 7)

-Farming boycott movement (pg 7)

-Reasons for my coming into exile (pg 7)

Lithang and Nyagchuka CountyLithang and Nyagchuka CountyLithang and Nyagchuka CountyLithang and Nyagchuka CountyLithang and Nyagchuka County

Tibetans seek release of their spiritualTibetans seek release of their spiritualTibetans seek release of their spiritualTibetans seek release of their spiritualTibetans seek release of their spiritual

teacherteacherteacherteacherteacherOn 15 July 2009, the people ofNyagchuka County wrote a powerfulpetition which called for the releaseof Tulku Tenzin Delek, their belovedteacher who had been wronglyconvicted by the Sichuan HigherPeople’s Court in December 2002 ina bomb explosion incident inChengdu. The petitioners who wereardent followers of their spiritualteacher signed the petition andmarked in blood their fingerprintsagainst their name. Unfortunately, theauthorities never took the petitionseriously and dismissed it. With strong determination to seekTulku’s release, seven lay Tibetansdeparted to Chengdu on 5 December2009 to appeal the provincialgovernment. However, their journeywas intercepted and the officialsdetained them at a hotel. The nextday, three women; Dolker, DechenDolma and Youdon, who wereproceeding to the central governmentto appeal were also detained mid way.Upon hearing the arrest of the groupof the seven men heading toChengdu, groups of Tibetans, mostlyyouth from Othok township, upperand lower Golog, proceeded toNyagchuka County governmentheadquarter. Thereafter Tibetansfrom the neighbouring areas had alsobeen flocking to Nyagchuka County

government. However Chinesesecurity forces on the way stoppedthem from reaching the CountyHeadquarter. Meanwhile a fairlylarge contingent of People’s ArmedPolice (PAP) was brought to alocation called Thang Karma (WhiteOpen Field) practicing martial artsand military drills to intimidate thelocal Tibetans. Despite the block,hundreds of Tibetans gathered fromall over the neighbouring areas. Somehad to walk over the mountain toreach the spot. Many children andelderly Tibetans also joined in.Despite all the blocking attempts bythe authorities, the crowd grew toaround 400 and vociferouslydemanded the immediate release ofTulku Tenzin Delek. During thedemonstration seven womencollapsed and became unconscious.The protesting Tibetans were runningout of food and warm clothes andblankets to brace the chilly winternights and relatives and supporterswere denied access to the protestersand petitioners for delivering foodand clothes. It was on the night of 5 December2009, around 60 petitioners out ofthe crowd who gathered at theCounty government headquarter forthe entire day were rounded up andtaken to a military garrison. The nextmorning, motorbikes and clothesbelonging to petitioners were left

Tulkul Tenzin Delek

TIBETAN CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY

2 HUMAN RIGHTS update • DECEMBER 2009

unattended with bloodstains.Meanwhile the petitioners beganfasting and refused to eat any foodserved to them unless and untilTulku is released from the prison.Following were identified amongthe 60 petitioners arrested: Dukkar Tsering, JiliJamtrin,Gawa Lodhon, NgawangChoedrak,Gawa Tsering Dhondup,Lugtsi Aphi, Gyame A-sher, A-kaDorjee, Sherab Dolma (nun), Depo(nun), Dra-be (nun), Me-thaWangyal, Ga-je Wangchuk, KhewoTsering, Dorjee Khedrup, DrukGaythar, Nga-de, Lhama Dhondi,Nyendak, Tsetra Bhubhu, NgawangSherab, A-pha Norbu, Woeser, A-pha Au Bho, Tenzin Dawa, Jinpa,Tashi Choephel, Nyendak, LobsangDhondup, Kelsang Lhakyi, A-she,Bhumo, Tenzin Trinley, Nyendak,Lobsang Dhondup, KelsangLhakyi, A-she, Bhumo, TenzinTrinley, Lhama Choedruk. The remaining Tibetans whichhad by now swelled to over athousand continued to sit at thecounty government making theirappeal to release Tulku. Theauthorities set 3 pm on 9 December2009 as a deadline for the Tibetansto return to their respective villages.However, the Tibetans continued topress the County governmentofficials even after the deadline. The authorities then broughtover the seven detained petitionersback to the County for talks.Offcials from the County as wellas Prefecture level held talks withthe petitioners to disperse thecrowd. They in turn replied thatuntil the authorities release Tulku,the Tibetans won’t go back to theirhomes. The county officialsthreatened the petitioners of direconsequences, however, they held

their ground that Tulku was innocentand they have made their mind to seekhis release, and they won’t return untilhe is released. On 10 December 2009, theauthorities called the religious figuresand elderly monks of the area for ameeting. The officials asked themonks to diffuse the crowd as theymight listen to them. The monksreplied that if the authorities areserious in settling this dispute andlisten to the masses opinion, they canask the masses to disperse. Theauthorities promised the massesmonthly visits to Tulku in prison.They also released some of the Tibetandetainees immediately and promisedto detain others after a week. On 11 December, a meeting washeld where in officials from thetownship, county, prefecture, court,representatives of the public and thevillage heads were present. After hoursof meeting where in both the publicand the government sides made theiropinions, it was decided to allowmonthly visits to Tulku in prison andto repair all the motorbikes damagedby the authorities crackdown on theTibetans and also to provide monetarycompensations to those with financiallosses. The general public was left indoubts as to whether the authoritieswill ever keep their promises as theywere known to always sway the publicin the wrong direction. After themeeting, army vehicles withmicrophones were doing round of thearea warning the people to return by9 ‘o’ clock or face law enforcement.Moreover,there was increase in thepresence of military in the countyareas. Sensing major bloodbath, thespiritual figures and elderly monksadvised the public to retreat to theirrespective homes.

On 13 December 2009, around tendetainees were released by theauthorities, however, around 20 werestill kept in custody. The releaseddetainees had bruises all over theirbody due to beatings in the detentioncentre. Despite the cold, they hadnot been provided any blanket orfood while in detention.

THE CONTENT OF PETITIONThe main content of the petitiondealt on describing Tulku TenzinDelek Rinpoche as their much lovedand revered spiritual teacher,immensely important to the localTibetans. Tulku also being describedas a guide, teacher, father figure to

them, particularly local Tibetanssought his advice on a range ofmatters concerning their livelihood.In their appeal they stated that Tulkuused to mediate in many land andpasture disputes amongst the localnomads. In his absence in the lastseven years, there have been manydisputes over land and pastureownerships, which led to deaths ofseveral Tibetans. They also describedthat Tulku’s absence has been keenly

The content of petition

HUMAN RIGHTS update • DECEMBER 2009 3


felt and that they are too eager to feelthe spiritual presence of Tulku. Theyalso described that they need aspiritual guide who could performreligious rites for Tibetan devotees,particularly to perform Phowa(transferring of consciousness) riterelated to guiding the consciousnessof dead people in their journey to thenext lives. They also explained thatto regain peace and harmony onceexisted in the locality, Tulku must bereleased and once again be amongstthem.

UNFAIR TRIAL ANDSENTENCINGTulku Tenzin Delek Rinpoche bornin 1950 in Lithang, Tibet, is a highlyrevered local spiritual figure. In 2002,series of bomb blasts incident tookplace in Chengdu, which the Chineseofficials later charged him of hiscarrying out the bomb blasts. Hisrelative Lobsang Dhondup chargedalong with him was immediatelyexecuted after a closed trial. TenzinDelek was granted a two-yearreprieve, which was later commutedto life imprisonment on 26 January2005. Tulku Tenzin Delek alsoworked for the welfare of local

Tibetans in Lithang, in health,education and religious institutionsfor Tibetan nomads in eastern Tibet.He was also an ardent advocate forthe conservation of environment inthe light of China rampant loggingand mining, and a mediator of allkinds of disputes amongst the localTibetans. He was known to be anoutspoken admirer and follower ofthe Dalai Lama, whom he previouslyhad an audience in India. He wasimmensely popular for hisunassuming personality and relatingto the everyday needs and problemsof ordinary Tibetans in Lithang.Tulku Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, now59, is currently serving life sentence.

Following is full text of thepetition translated into English, notethat Tenzin Delek Rinpoche isreferred to in the Chinese name A’anZhaxi. Source: http://www.highpeakspureearth.com/2009/12/from-woesers-blog-peopleof-yajiang-in.html We Do Not Recognise the VerdictAgainst A’an Zhaxi We Want toHave a New Hearing with Regardsto the Charges in the Explosion Case A’an Zhaxi (A-ngag Tashi, TenzinDeleg Rinpoche) was born in 1949in the village of Degu, LithangCounty in the Ganzi Prefecture. In1983 he was identified as thereincarnation of the Yajiang County’sOrthok Monastery’s Lama AdongPhuntsok. Starting in 1987, heconstructed Orthok Monastery,Nyagchukha JamyangChoekhorling, Tsochu GandenChoeling, Golog Tashikyil, Tsun-gon Dechen Choeling and manymore monasteries. A’an Zhaxi alwaystaught people not to kill, not to steal,not to tell lies, not to shoot animals,

Signature



not to gamble, and he also formulatedreligious tenets. This embodied agreat benefit for the people in themonasteries and in the area. Hence,in comparison to other Lamas, thelocal people particularly trusted andrespected A’an Zhaxi. On 7 April 2002, A’an Zhaxi wasarrested by Ganzi Yajiang CountyPolice accused of being one of thehidden instigators responsible for theexplosion on Tianfu Square inChengdu. On 2 December 2002,Ganzi Prefecture’s IntermediatePeople’s Court sentenced A’an Zhaxito death with the sentence suspendedfor two years. Two years later, somesaid that his sentence had already beenchanged to life imprisonment andothers said that there was no sentenceat all, opinions were widely divided.But his family and religious followershad never seen the official courtverdict or any notice concerning hiscase. Hence, there was no way ofverifying the details. The case against Lobsang Dhondupinstalling the explosives on TianfuSquare and A’an Zhaxi being thewirepuller is a set-up, it is an act ofretaliation by the evil officials andlacks any proof or confessions.No proofNowhere and at no time have therebeen any witnesses confirming thatA’an Zhaxi actually worked out a planfor Lobsang Dhondup to set off anexplosion, and neither has there beenany witness who has heard anythingabout such plans. Moreover, LobsangDhondup has never admitted orconfessed that A’an Zhaxi worked outa plan for him to set off the explosion.The reason for this is: one of LobsangDhondup’s fellow prisoners, whoused to share a cell with him, recallsLobsang Dhondup once saying tohim that A’an Zhaxi has never planned

anything for him and he has alsonever officially declared or confessedthat A’an Zhaxi had worked out aplan for him. The reason why YajiangCounty accused A’an Zhaxi is becausethey say that he excavated a cave tostore the explosives and they alsocame up with groundless accusationssuch as that he is not a real monkbut they have not provided thepeople with anything proving hisguilt. A’an Zhaxi himself refuses toadmit his guilt Although there havebeen many false stories claiming thatA’an Zhaxi has already candidlyconfessed everything, it is still ratherobvious that he does not at all admithis guilt. On 2 December 2002,when the Ganzi Prefecture’sIntermediate People’s Court spokethe verdict, in the presence of all, A’anZhaxi shouted out “don’t say that Iset up explosives, I have never everthought about this sort of thing”.Afterwards, A’an Zhaxi wrote in aletter to Zirui’s people and his closerelatives: “I am not guilty, pleaseappeal for justice for me”. Moreover,at the end of 2008, when A’anZhaxi’s younger sister Dolkar Lhamotogether with Zengtar and TseringDekyi went to pay him a visit inprison, they also heard him say: “Iabsolutely did not work out anyplans; I don’t even know of anyexplosion, it would be very kind ifyou can appeal for justice.” Especiallyon 11 July 2009, when Apapumuwent to see A’an Zhaxi, he said: “Iam not responsible for theseexplosions or any other illegal actions,they have pinned this on me, I havealways taught people that one shouldnot harm any life, not even that ofan ant, how could I then possibly beresponsible for such an action? If itis possible to appeal, there is hope

that I may be cleared of all charges.When you leave please go to Ziruifor me, tell my relatives and allpeople of the six Orthok groups, telleveryone that I hope to be clearedof all charges. So, you are in charge,call all people together and doeverything possible to help meoverturn the verdict.

Officials plotted to frameEven before the verdict in the caseof the explosion, Ganzi Prefectureand Yajiang County had oftenarrested A’an Zhaxi. For example,from 1998 to 2000, twice in a rowA’an Zhaxi had to flee to the remotemountains to take refuge. In thevery beginning when he firstestablished Orthok Monastery andNyagchukha JamyangChoekhorling, some officials of theGanzi Prefecture, Yajiang Countyand Lithang District deliberatelymade things difficult and obstructedthe construction of the monasteries,but because A’an Zhaxi wentdirectly to the great Panchen Lamafor help, the prefecture, county anddistrict authorities had to givepermission. Also, during the timewhen A’an Zhaxi fled to themountains for refuge, thousands ofpeople signed or put theirfingerprints on a petition to theauthorities to prove his innocence.The appeal went all the way to thecounty, even to the centralgovernment and in the end theauthorities’ attempt to arrest himfailed. When A’an Zhaxi returned tohis home town he was happilywelcomed by thousands of people,who could not be pushed off thestage by local authorities. Throughthis, mutual apprehensionsharpened by the day, the localauthorities harboured more and



more resentment against A’an Zhaxi,he became the thorn in their sidewaiting for an opportunity toretaliate. One 2 April 2002, they thenarrested A’an Zhaxi accusing him ofbeing the mastermind behind theexplosions on Tianfu Square inChengdu, but it is obvious that thisis not true.

In conclusion, there does not existany proof with regards to A’an Zhaxi’ssentence, there exists no confession,it is only an act of retaliation of thelocal authorities against A’an Zhaxi.It is a set-up, a frame-up and anentirely fabricated case. If you are outto condemn somebody, you canalways find a charge. If this case is notsolved justly, our Zirui region, A’anZhaxi’s relatives and all the peoplewho follow him, regardless of whetherthe poor turn into beggars, whethermen or women, they will definitelynot stop appealing for justice. Thus,we sincerely hope that the impartiallaw of the central government willmake its way into this place which isshrouded in the dense fog ofconspiracy.15 July 2009By the people of Yajiang County,Ganzi Prefecture, Sichuan Province

TCHRD Press Statement on the 61stTCHRD Press Statement on the 61stTCHRD Press Statement on the 61stTCHRD Press Statement on the 61stTCHRD Press Statement on the 61stAnniversary of the UniversalAnniversary of the UniversalAnniversary of the UniversalAnniversary of the UniversalAnniversary of the UniversalDeclaration of Human RightsDeclaration of Human RightsDeclaration of Human RightsDeclaration of Human RightsDeclaration of Human Rights

Today, 10 December 2009, wecelebrate the 61st anniversary of theUniversal Declaration of HumanRights. It is a solemn occasion forall of us about the great importanceof this day and virtue of thisdocument to people across the globe.It is once again a solemn reminderfor us to redeem our pledge andcommitment to promote dignityand justice for all human beings. Since the birth of this historicdocument, we have made manypositive progresses on non-discrimination, freedom ofmovement and association, freedomof expression and opinion, freedomfrom torture and arbitrarydetentions. Yet there are many justiceyet to be delivered and more freedomto be redeemed and hence let it beour firm pledge that we shall workin this direction, led by courage andour belief in universal rights. We, the Tibetan Centre forHuman Rights and Democracy(TCHRD) in last more than onedecade has championed thefundamental human rights of theTibetan people, as they continue tosuffer greatly under the deplorableconditions imposed by thecommunist regime in China.

10 December, is also an importantoccasion for Tibetans, not just asInternational Human Rights Daybut also the day on which the DalaiLama received his Nobel Peace Prizein 1989, who is regarded as atalisman of justice, freedom andhuman rights across the globe as well

as the greatest influencer of ourtimes. TCHRD will continue to workfor promotion of the fundamentalrights of the Tibetan people asguided by our two “twin missions”,to monitor and report the violationof human rights of the Tibetanpeople inside Tibet and to educateour Tibetan community abouthuman rights, democracy and ruleof law. TCHRD hopes that the globalnations through their diplomaticand economic ties will press Chinaon its poor and deplorable humanrights track record. It is also ourhope that nations never give updialogue on human rights in the faceof more assertive and bully Chinawith its growing economic andmilitary might. China continues to lack behindin human rights field, she still doesnot honour her citizens basic andfundamental human rights. ForTibetans, the recent years have beenthe most difficult times as theycontinue to reel under tremendoustragedy and misery. In the last eleven months of2009, TCHRD has documented,among others, the following fewevents:

Strike Hard campaigns:

This year the Chinese governmentlaunched the “strike hard”campaigns on two occasions. First,a stipulated 42-day winter “StrikeHard” Campaign was launched inLhasa city on 18 January 2009. The



campaign was to serve many politicalpurposes inside Tibet to forewarnTibetans from taking part in any ofprotest and demonstration duringcoming important political dates like10 March Tibetan uprisinganniversary as well as on the firstanniversary of the last year’s 14 Marchprotest riot in Lhasa city. State runmedia claimed, Lhasa City PublicSecurity Bureau (PSB) office deployed600 officers, around 160 policevehicles and conducted raids on 7housing blocks, 2922 rented houses,14 guest house and hotels, 18 bars and3 internet cafés in Lhasa. It said PSBrounded up 5766 suspects in raids.Under the campaign, the State lawenforcement bodies abuse thefundamental human rights of theTibetan people through arbitraryarrest, detention, interrogation andtorture, dismissal from jobs andexpulsion from religious institutions.During this campaign, at least 81suspects were detained. The second “strike hard” campaignof the year was launched on 9September 2009. The main objectiveof the “Strike Hard” campaign was toensure stability and security in the“TAR” ahead of the 60th NationalDay Celebration. Under suchcircumstances, overwhelmingrestriction on daily life of ordinaryTibetans was order of the day.Monasteries and religious institutionswere particularly hit hard during bothcampaigns. The “strike hard”campaigns were launched inside Chinato fight off crimes and other social illsbut inside Tibet they were launchedto quell protests and rein in Tibetannationalistic sentiments.Executions and suspended deathsentences: This year also saw the executionsof four Tibetans Lobsang Gyaltsen

and Loyak, Penkyi and unnamedTibetan on Tuesday, 20 October2009 for their alleged involvementin last year’s mass protest thatbroke out on 14 March 2008.Moreover 3 Tibetans were givensuspended death sentences and 11other Tibetans with lifeimprisonment. For entire one-year period, theywere not given any access to legalrepresentations, legal council, free,fair and open trail. They were triedbehind a closed-door court andfaced prosecution. No tangibleevidences and explanations weregiven to outside world about their“crimes”. The standard legalstipulations enshrined in ChinaCriminal Procedure Law (CPL)were not followed. Despitenumerous appeals by human rightsactivists and internationalorganizations, the Chinesegovernment went ahead with theexecutions, as if showing a lessonof “killing chickens to scare themonkeys”.

Persecution of writers,environment activists, bloggers,musicians and photographers:

The year is particularly so harsh forTibetan writers, photographers andcivil societies. This year TCHRDdocuments 23 known cases ofarrests of writers and civil societyactivists. Kunga Tsayang, a Tibetan writer-photographer was arrested on 17March 2009 and given five years inprison sentence on charges of so-called “disclosing state secrets”. Hewrote under a pen name “sun ofsnowland” (Tib: Gang-Nyi) was anamateur photographer, a passionatewriter, essayist, chronicler of the

new Tibetan generation. Kunga’s casegoes to show the length of difficultiesTibetans undergo for mere expressionof opinions. . Similarly Kunchok Tsephel,another Tibetan who run a Tibetanlanguage and culture website -Chomei (eng. Lamp) was arrested athis home in Gansu Province. Thewebsite was dedicated to thepropagation of Tibetan arts andliterature and was self-funded.

· Other civil society activists arrestedby the Chinese authorities were:Dhondup Wangchen (documentaryfilm maker), Drokru Tsultrim, KangKunchok, Tashi Dhondup (musicianand singer), Nyima Wangchuk(blogger), Yeshi Namkha, GonpoTsering and Passang Norbu.

Losar and farming Boycott:

· This year Tibetans in Kardze regionin Sichuan Province organizedboycott of Losar (Tibetan New Year)and farming boycott to protestagainst China’s massive crackdown ofpeaceful Tibetan protesters in all partsof Tibet in Spring 2008. The Chinesegovernment arrested many Tibetanswho boycott farming and foregoTibetan New Year celebration. Thelocal Tibetans filled their streets withposters declaring their vow toboycott farming activities and theChinese authorities calling for apublic meeting and issuing warningthat “anyone who defies farming willface arrest and their land will beofficially confiscated.” There hadbeen scores of arbitrary arrests;detentions, interrogations, torturesand many even disappeared for a year.Kardze is still one of the most volatileregions of Tibet and where humanrights violations were mostlyreported.



Suicide cases:

In recent times, TCHRD has beendocumenting a rising number ofsuicides in Tibet, particularly in itsreligious institutions. For severaldecades the monks and nuns insideTibet have been persecuted in thename of “reform” and “patrioticeducation”. They were forced to denouncetheir own spiritual guru and to abusetheir highly respected lamas highlyobjected under monastic vows andcode of conduct. In doing so, theywere subjected to extremepsychological traumas andimpositions of irreconcilabledemands, which eventually forcethem to commit suicide. The monksand nuns are left with no option butto embrace death since the requisiteslaid down by the Chinese authorityare beyond sanity. The suicide hasbeen on the rise in Tibet’s monasticcommunity since the Spring 2008protests in Tibet. TCHRDdocuments 14 suicides and 2attempted suicides since Spring 2008protests.

The people who committedsuicides were:

(1) Lobsang Jinpa committedsuicide on 27 March 2008, (2)Legtsok, 75 years old, committedsuicide on 30 March 2008, (3)Thoesam, 29 years old, committedsuicide on 16 April 2008, (4)Trangma committed suicide on 18June 2008, (5) Thokmey a.k.aTsangpa Thokmey committedsuicide on 22 March 2008, (6)Namdrok Khakyab committedsuicide on 19 March 2008, (7) TashiSangpo committed suicide on 21March 2009, (8) Tusong committed

suicide on 16 April 2008, (9) Anunnamed nun in her thirties fromCholung nunnery committedsuicide on 12 April 2008, (10) Threeunnamed monks from DuguMonsatery, (11) Lobsang Tsultrimcommitted suicide on 3 July 2008,(12) Shedup committed suicide on2 April 2009, (13) An unnamed nun,21 years old, from ChoekhorNunnery committed suicide 12April 2008, (14) Lobsang Tsomo, anun at Chokhor Nunnery,committed suicide on 12 April2008, (15) Attempt to Sucide- TwoDrepung Monastery monks,Kelsang and Damchoe, bothoriginally from Kirti Monastery inSichuan Province, (16) Attempt toSucide- Tapey, a monk at Kirti JepaMonastery, Ngaba County, SichuanProvince, attempted suicide by self-immolation on 27 February 2009.

Persecution of Religious leaders:

This year also saw horrifying level ofrestriction and persecution of Tibet’sreligious institutions in the name of“patriotic education” and “nationalsecurity”. The trends were ofpersecutions were often surprise raidsat monks’ residences at nights,conducts “patriotic education”campaigns for months, breakingdown monastic order and disciplineby conducting political education on“socialism” and forcing monks andnuns to study the constitution ofChina. The Chinese authorities alsoenforced the monks to denounce theDalai Lama, to stamp on the picturesof their revered spiritual teachers.Those who failed or refused tocomply the authorities’ orders werearrested, detained, interrogated,tortured, disrobe and then expelledfrom the monastery as a kind of ex-

communication. Often charismatichead lamas were persecuted byfabricating false charges. The classic case was that of TulkuPhurbu Tsering Rinpoche, a popularand charismatic spiritual figure inKardze region of Tibet, who wasarrested on alleged weapon chargesrelated to last year’s peaceful protestsin Kardze, Sichuan Province.According to many sources, he wasreportedly tortured for four days andnights upon detention and forcedinto making a confession after a policeinterrogation. Police even threatenedhis wife and son of detention if Tulkudid not comply, according to hislawyer. Following his arrest, his monkand nun followers and disciples stagedprotests; many of them were arrested,detained and tortured. Several ofthem were still being involuntarilydisappeared. On this anniversary, TCHRDurges the Government of the People’sRepublic of China (PRC) to put animmediate end to the practice oftorture, enforced disappearances,“patriotic education” campaigns,arbitrary detention and informationblackouts and also calls upon the PRCgovernment to respect and complywith international standards ofhuman rights practices and its ownconstitutional guarantees.


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The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) is an independent

centre which aims to promote and protect human rights and a democratic polity

for Tibet. It attempts to educate Tibetans on human rights principles and to work

with other human rights and democracy groups as part of a worldwide movement

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Partial list of TCHRD publications:

•The Next Generation:The State of Education in Tibet Today (1997)• Behind

Bars: Prison Conditions in Tibet (1998) • Closing the Doors:Religious

Repression in Tibet (1998)•Convention on the Rights of the Child (Tibetan

Translation) (1998)•Democracy:An Education Booklet (1998)• Fearless Voices:

Accounts of Tibetan Former Political Prisoners (1998)•Human Rights:An

Education Booklet (1998)•A Guide to Human Rights (1999)•A guide to

Democracy (1999)•Tales of Terror:Torture in Tibet (1999)•Briefing paper for

travellers to Tibet (1999) •Torture and Ill-Treatment in Tibet (2000)• Racial

Discrimination in TIbet (2000)• Impoverishing Tibetans:China’s flawed economic

policy (2000)• Destruction of Serthar Insitute : A Special Report (2002)

Dispossessed: Land and Housing Rights in Tibet (2002) • Strike hard Campaign:

China’s crackdown on political dissidence (2004) • State of education in

Tibet: A human rights perspective (2004) • Kuxing: Torture in Tibet (2005) •

Death Penalty in China (2005) • International Bill of Human Rights (2005) •

TCHRD 1996-2006: A Decade of Human Rights Research • Railway and China’s

Development Strategy in Tibet: A Tale of Two Economies • Prisoners of Tibet •

Annual Report : Human Rights Situation in Tibet (1996 - 2008) •Uprising in

Tibetan 2008 • Briefing paper for travellers to Tibet

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human rights update 2009 - december

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