Monlam Kyi
Photo: tchrd.org
Monlam Kyi, 69, mother of former Tibetan Political prisoner Tenzin Woeser, has been detained for interrogation by the Chinese authorities in Pema County in Golok Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. “The family was threatened [with] severe consequences if they failed to hand over the former political prisoner to the authorities,” said a report released by the Tibetan Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (TCHRD) on June 11.
According to the TCHRD report, Tenzin Woeser, 35, who has been living in India since 2000, said that local police detained his mother on May 29 and released her on June 6 after 10 days of intensive questioning about her son. Woeser worries that his mother has undergone a traumatic experience.”I am very concerned about her health because she is also a heart patient,” said Woeser, speaking to TCHRD.
Woeser’s mother Monlam Kyi is a retired primary teacher who is living the life of a lay Buddhist spiritual practitioner in Welshul village in Drubchen Township. She was visited by local Chinese police on May 22, enquiring about her son, despite the fact that he has not lived there since 2000. “They [the police officers] were carrying a file and looking at its contents while asking my family about my whereabouts. The file apparently contained details about me and other family members”, said Woeser.
Woeser’s prison release document
Photo: tchrd.org
The report further stated that Woeser’s sister, a nurse at local government hospital, together with her husband who works at a local mining office, were fired from their jobs on June 6. In addition, their ration cards and a plot of land they owned were confiscated.
Woeser was a monk at Do Drubchen Gon Sangchen Ngodup Palwar Ling Monastery. In 1997 at the age of 14, he and his cousin Dothuk, along with some other monks, were involved in a campaign pasting leaflets in their county town calling for Tibetan independence. He was later detained and sentenced to five years for engaging in political activity. However, due to his age, he was released six months later. He was barred from returning to his monastery after his release and was ordered to report to the County Public Security Bureau office every month. He fled to India in 2000 where he studied at Tibetan Children’s Village school, Suja. Currently, Woeser is a member of staff at Tibetan Children’s village school, Selakui, in Dehradun.
Tenzin Woeser
Photo: tchrd.org
“I have no idea why they are doing this. My biggest concern is my mother and other family members who are still in Tibet. They are innocent, especially my mother who dedicated her whole life as a schoolteacher. She should not be treated this way. I am equally worried about my sister and her husband. How can they survive without their jobs?”said Woeser, quoted in the TCHRD report.
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