May has been a sensitive period for the Tibetan community with reports of continuing arrests of Tibetans by Chinese authorities, and of a series of releases of prisoners who are reported to be in poor health after their jail terms.
Gartse Jigme
Gartse Jigme, a well-known Tibetan writer from Gartse monastery in Amdo, was arrested on May 24, for writing a book on Tibet and the wave of self immolations. Secretly sentenced to five years in prison, his current condition and whereabouts remain unknown.
Lobsang Tenzin
Lobsang Tenzin: Almost a month after his release , Lobsang Tenzin, who served 25 years in Chinese prisons as a political prisoner, remains under house arrest and constant police surveillance, meeting only family members, and only allowed to leave his house to go to hospital with a police escort. He suffers from health problems resulting from torture and mistreatment while in prison where, despite the torture, he continued his political activism.
Jigme Gyatso
Lodoe Gyatso
Adril Lobsang Tsultrim
Others released recently are Tibetan writer and activist Jigme Gyatso, 28, released on completion of his three year prison term and reportedly in a serious health condition with injuries to his spine and kidneys; Lodoe Gyatso, 52, a former dance artist and a weight lifting champion, released at the completion of his 21-year prison term following murder charges is also reported to be in poor health. Also free are senior Tibetan Lama Adril Lobsang Tsultrim of Wonpo Gaden Shedup Dhargyeling Monastery, released on May 15, and two monks, Lobsang Tenpa and Lobsang Choeden on May 12, all released after serving the full five years of their prison terms.
Sonam Yingyen
Sonam Yingyen, 44, a Tibetan monk from the Nyatso Zilkar Monastery in Tridu, eastern Tibet, was released on May 9 before the expiration of his prison term due to “medical emergency.” He was among five monks who were arrested in September 2012 in a surprise police raid on the monastery.
On May 14 it was reported that Chinese police had beaten Kaldo, a monk at the Chamdo Monastery, to death for possessing recordings of speeches by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and for his stance on Tibet’s independence. He apparently refused to sign a letter as ordered by the Chinese authorities, writing instead: ‘Tibet is independent’.
Phagmo Dhondup
And on May 9, more than two months after Tibetan self-immolator Phagmo Dhondup set himself on fire, a message he left with a friend has been released: “Till now, over a hundred Tibetans in Tibet have set themselves on fire for freedom. They are the true martyrs of Tibet. If Tibet does not get its freedom and independence, China will annihilate Tibetan culture and tradition”. He expressed sadness over Chinese authorities’ restrictions on studying Tibetan language in his region.
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