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The state issued hand book for monks of Kirti monastery in Ngaba
Photo: tibet.net

The Chinese authorities in Ngaba county in Tibet issued a handbook for Tibetan monasteries dated July 28 which contains a set of decrees criminalising all forms of peaceful protest, silent marches, self-immolation and the use of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s portrait during protests, calling these acts of “disrupting social stability”. This is effectively a warning by the authorities to the monks of Kirti monastery in Ngaba, often seen as a hub for protests against Chinese rule,to prevent them from staging any form of peaceful protest or sending information within and outside Tibet through social media.

The new rule book is printed both in Tibetan and Chinese. Moreover the handbook has been distributed to every monk in the monasteries, with strict instructions that they have to follow the new rules set out in the book. According to tibet.net the Chinese authorities announced the new law at a meeting of representatives of all the monasteries in the Ngaba region.

Since 2009, 144 Tibetans have self-immolated in Tibet. As they stage their self-immolation protest, nearly all call for freedom in Tibet,the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, protection of Tibet’s unique environment and the preservation of the Tibetan language and culture. According to data collected by the Kirti Monastery in Dharamshala, India, 39 Tibetans have self-immolated in theNgaba region, of whom 31 have died following their protest and the remaining eight are in a Chinese prison. The Chinese authorities often target the protesters and retain their families and they endure severe punishments while in prison.

In the recent years, there has been an increase in the number of solo protest in Tibet, especially in the Ngaba region where large social gatherings are banned. In March this year, a 33 year old woman named Mang Ga from Meruma Township, Ngaba County was arrested in the main market for protesting by carrying a portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and her protest has been preceded by many similar.