Peaceful Protesters Shot by Security Forces

By Annapurna Mellor / August 25, 2014;

The Protest in Shopa
Photo: RFA

Five Tibetans have now died after being shot by Chinese police during protests which took place in Kardze (Ganzi) in Eastern Tibet on August 12. Chinese police opened fire on the unarmed crowd and four people have since died in detention after being denied medical treatment for their gun shot injuries. The fifth man, a 22-year-old Tibetan, committed suicide in the detention centre in protest against the denial of medical treatment for his fellow detainees. The date of the deaths is unknown, however the bodies of three of the men were returned to their families on August 18, six days after the protests.

A victim of the shooting
Photo: RFA

The protests took place in the village of Shopa, a day after the village leader Dema Wangdak, 45, was taken from his home at midnight by Chinese police. Wangdak had complained to the local authorities over the harassment of local Tibetan women by senior Chinese officials at a cultural performance in the village. The community was forced to host the performance during a visit by the officials to Sershul county which is part of the Kardze Tibetan Autonomous region.

Wangdak
Photo: RFA

After Wangdak’s complaints to the Chinese, he was accused of holding an illegal traditional Tibetan horse festival at which incense was lit and prayer offerings were made. Wangdak, a highly respected village leader, has a reputation for standing up for the poor and for victims of harassment.

Over a hundred protesters gathered outside the centre where Wangdak was detained, calling for his release, but the Chinese authorities sent in security forces who used tear gas and fired live ammunition into the crowd, resulting in around 10 Tibetans with gunshot wounds. The injured included Wangdak’s son and brother.

After the protesters dispersed, it is reported that over 100 people were detained, including around 30 monks, and that 15 people were seriously injured. Around 25 people remained in detention on August 19. Many men from the village fled to the hills, fearing arrest, and their family members, mostly women and children, have been beaten and interrogated. Communication lines were cut off.

The people of Shopa village also did not participate in a Chinese-government organised festival a few years ago, a decision they made to express their solidarity with the Tibetans who had self-immolated at that time.

A candlelight ceremony and rally was held in the main square of McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala, with protesters calling for the United Nations and people across the world to speak out against the continued Chinese oppression in Tibet.