Dharamshala, India: The situation in eastern Tibet continues to remain grim following the severe clampdown enforced by the Chinese government. According to information received by Tibet Post International (TPI) on 27th January, large numbers of armed Chinese forces have been stationed across the Barma Township besieging the region and preventing the residents from stepping out.Sources also stated that four unnamed monks from Lhawang monastery that lies three kilometers from Barma were arrested yesterday. At-least ten Tibetans reportedly shot dead and injured over one hundred in three separate incidents in eastern Tibet during the past week.
Reports suggest that this crackdown has intensified after leaflets calling for Tibetans to skip New Year celebrations this year to pay homage to the martyrs were circulated in Drakgo. and whereabouts still unknown after they are detained by Chinese authorities.
In a similar incident that took place on January 23, over a thousand Tibetans consisting of lay persons and monks carried out a candle light march at Dzumenda Township in Ngaba region. The leaders of the march called for the Tibetans to mourn the death of the martyrs on the day of the Tibetan New Year.
There has been a continued state of unrest inside Tibet since then and the Chinese government has intensified the crackdown to control the protests.
On January 24, over 300 Tibetans gathered and protested the Chinese policies and called for the return of the Dalai Lama and Tibetan freedom at Serta County in eastern Tibet. The Chinese forces deployed to control the crowd opened fire at the unarmed protestors leaving two Tibetan men dead and many injured.
On January 25, twenty-five year old Namkha Gyaltsen was arrested in Barkhor for distributing leaflets containing slogans calling for the swift return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet.
In a similar case, an unnamed Tibetan was arrested in Zamthang County in Ngaba on January 26, for pasting a leaflet which stated that the self-immolations were for the freedom of Tibet and for the return of the Dalai Lama.
Sources from inside Tibet to TPI have also stated that communication has been completely cut off in eastern Tibet after a string of protests against the Chinese repressive policies kept taking place. No means of communication involving telephone, fax and internet have been able to be established.
In a related incident, 31-year-old Choeying Logyal and 21-year-old Choepal Dawa were arrested in Sog County in eastern Tibet for sending letters and trying to establish contact outside Tibet on January 15. TPI sources stated that there is no information on their whereabouts since their arrest.
OVERVIEW
17 Tibetans self-immolated since sixteen 2011 and four of them in January 2012.
12 of the sixteen have succumbed to their injuries. Most of the incidents have taken place in eastern Tibet but these incidents are now spreading to other areas as well. In the most recent protests, two Tibetans were killed and 36 were injured. The 36 victims include three monks whose conditions have been reported to be deteriorating rapidly.
