Photo: TCHRD
Dhongye, a Tibetan man in 50s who was arrested by the Chinese authorities in 2018 on charges of “leaking state secrets”, is reported to be near death following injuries sustained during his prolonged torture while in prison, reports the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA)’s Human Rights desk. He has been held incommunicado and no information about his whereabouts and wellbeing has been released since his arrest, it has only now been discovered that he is being held in jail in Driru County.
In 2018, Chinese officials detained about 30 Tibetans following their protest to stop mining at the sacred mountain Sebtra Zagyen Mountain in Driru county. There was also concern because Sebtra Zagyen is home to endangered animals including the Tsoe (Tibetan antelope), Nah (Blue Sheep) and Gowa (Tibetan gazelle). Dhongye, who was a businessman at the time, was among the detainees. He was accused of reporting on the protest to people outside Tibet.
Dhongye was born in Dhakra village in Shagchu town in Driru County. Dhongye is known as an active environmentalist, he has organised several environmental events and participated in many others. He actively voices his concerns and calls for the protection of Tibet’s environment, says the CTA report. It is reported that he is suffering from chronic health issues and is currently critically ill.
In 2018, residents of the villages around Sebtra Zagyen Mountain were required by the Chinese authorities to sign a document allowing the local authorities to carry out mining activities. The leaderof Markor Village, Karma, openly confronted the officials about the plan and was immediately arrested. When the news of Karma’s arrest reached the exile Tibetan community, the Chinese authorities summoned local people to a meeting during which the Tibetans suspected of leaking the information to the exile community were detained.
According to a report published by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) in May 2018, Sebtra Zagyen Mountain, located on the north side of Diru County, is one of the three “secret, supreme places” made sacred by the spiritual practice of the first Drong Ngur Choje Gyalwa Gangpa Rinchen Woser who founded the Drong Ngur Kagyu Phelgyeling Monastery in 1248. Representing the Buddhist practice of taming the body, mind and speech, Drong Ngur Monastery is considered the supreme sacred place of body, Drakar Mountain follows as the secret, supreme place of speech and the supreme sacred place of mind is represented by Sebtra Zagyen Mountain.
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