The Secret Tibet (The Forbidden world)

{The Tibet Post International - Thursday, 20th March 2008}
Tibet- 18th March 2008. The attached photos of dead Tibetans provide the most damning evidence seen so far that lethal force was used by Chinese security forces at protests staged by Tibetans in Aba town (Ngawa) in Sichuan province.

 

The photos, which clearly show gunshot wounds, were taken on Sunday night and Monday morning at Kirtii monastery. As Free Tibet Campaign reported on 16 March 2008 (release below) an eyewitness told Free Tibet Campaign's contact in Dharamsala that he had seen Chinese security forces fire into the crowd of Tibetan protesters and that he had seen 13 Tibetans killed as a result of the firing. Other eyewitnesses reported seeing 30 Tibetans shot dead.

These photos, together with the eyewitness statement, provide conclusive force that lethal force was used at Aba town by the Chinese security forces on 16 March 2008. The photos directly contradict recent denials to the press by Jampa Phuntsog (Chairman of the Tibetan Autonomous Region Govt) and China Premier Wen Jia Bao that Chinese security forces had not used lethal force.

The photos were taken long before the Chinese government's deadline of midnight Monday and prove that the use of lethal force has been in force long before the Chinese government's supposed deadline for protesters to turn themselves in before the use of force would be used.

Matt Whitticase of Free Tibet Campaign said: "These photos provide shocking proof of the brutality being exercised by Chinese forces in forcefully putting down Tibetan protests. It is not acceptable for national governments to call merely for restraint from the Chinese government. Government leaders must immediately condemn China's clear use of lethal force and demand that China's leaders stop their brutal crackdown on Tibetan protesters."

Release sent on 16 March:

3. Kirti Monastery, *Ngaba* County (Ch: Aba) Sichuan Province

Free Tibet Campaign's contact in Dharamsala has received by phone several eyewitness accounts to events in Ngaba County today.(Ch: Aba)

One eyewitness reported seeing Chinese security forces shooting dead thirteen Tibetans. One of the Tibetans was named as Lobsang Tashi. The eyewitness reported that the protest was started by three monks from Kirti monastery and was joined by hundreds of monks and lay people. The protest took place 2km from Kirti monastery in Ngawa County. The protestors called for the release of the Panchen Lama. Protestors demanded the release of two monks from Kirti monastery who got arrested yesterday. According to the eyewitness police shot tear gas into the crowd and beat many of the protestors. The police then shot live round of ammunition into the crowd. According to the eyewitness this led to the confirmed deaths of thirteen Tibetans. Many more Tibetans were injured. The eyewitness then reported that the protestors reacted angrily to the use of firearms and the deaths. The protestors burned down several police vehicles and the Public Security Bureau HQ.

Other eyewitnesses to the protest that have spoken by phone to our contact in Dharamsala are reporting that up to 30 Tibetans were killed when the armed police shot into the crowd.

Our contact in Dharamsala spoke to a monk who had returned to Kirti monastery after the protests to which he had been an eyewitness. In a telephone conversation at 3pm Beijing time the monk told our contact that he had seen 8 Tibetan bodies arrive at the monastery. Two were monks, one a lay female and five were lay people. The eyewitness told our contact that a further 2 bodies arrived at the monastery half an hour later. The bodies were thought to be those of students involved in the protest.

{The Tibet Post International {Tuesday, 18th March 2008}

Dharamsala. 17th March 2008. TCHRD expresses its serious concern on the well being of the protestors and urge the Chinese authorities to exercise restraint in responding to continuing protests in the light of numbers of confirmed death surfacing from the area who are peacefully expressing their views and exercising their freedom of expression, association and assembly. TCHRD is closely monitoring the situation and will issue fresh updates as more news and confirmations surfaces. Chinese has said to the people of the world that they didn't use arm force, but so many people conformed that more than 150 killed in Tibet, these photos are just sent from Ngawa county of Amdho province in eastern Tibet on 17th march 2008.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dharamsala: 17 March 2008 (TCHRD). Hundreds of Tibetans are arbitrarily arrested in the ongoing house-by-house raid by Chinese security forces in Lhasa beginning from 15 March 2008. All former political prisoners have already been rounded off and thrown into prisons by the security forces according to confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD).

 

With streets filled with patrolling Chinese armed troops and tanks in Lhasa city, the security agencies comb each and every house in Lhasa and pick up all suspected Tibetans, especially youth, from their houses accompanied by severe beatings by the armed forces. In testimonies received by TCHRD, mothers and elderlies in the families helplessly plea at security forces upon seeing their sons and loved ones being beaten and dragged away.

Law enforcement authorities in the so-called “Tibet Autonomous Region” had on Saturday (15 March) issued an ultimatum to the protesting Tibetans to voluntarily surrender before Monday midnight (17 March). However, the actual arrests has already begun in house-by-house raid since yesterday while the world expects it to take place from tomorrow.

Although Martial Law is not officially imposed in Lhasa, it has all the elements of the Martial Law imposed in 1989 by the then “TAR” Party Secretary Hu Jintao, currently the President of People's Republic of China.

TCHRD fears more arbitrary arrest and enforced disappearances to take place in the coming few days. The Centre also expresses its deepest fear of torture on the Tibetan arrestees which is a regular feature in the Chinese administered detention centres and prisons in Chinese occupied Tibet. TCHRD appeals to the international community to urgently show their solidarity and act for the arrested peaceful Tibetan protesters and innocent arrestees.
Tibetan students in the eastern Gansu province staged a peaceful protest this afternoon. According to confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), around 500 Tibetan students of the Tibetan Studies Department of the North Western Nationality University, Lanzhou City, Gansu Provincial Capital, Lanzhou staged a peaceful demonstration inside the University campus this afternoon (Beijing Time).

Confirmed information says that students had circulated leaflets containing information about the recent Lhasa demonstrations inside the University campus. The sources confirmed that there are about one thousand Tibetan students studying in the university. Information confirmed that there are 300 Tibetan students holed up in the campus by the security forces. The students were known to be carrying a large banner with a slogan "DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN LIVES ARE PRECIOUS". The Tibetan students also raised slogans calling for the immediate end to the brutal crackdown on the Tibetan people referring to the ongoing reports of arrests in the Lhasa city.

Following the circulation of leaflets, the city People's Armed Police (PAP) forces and Public Security Bureau (PSB) personnel stormed the university and cordon off the entire campus area. According to sources, the movements of students were known to have been strictly curtailed under a heavy presence of PAP and PSB at the University campus gate.

Meanwhile in another incident, at around 6 PM (Beijing Time), about 1500 local Tibetans from Machu County (Ch: Maqu xian), Kanlho "Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture"("TAP"), Gansu Province staged a peaceful demonstration in the main city of the County. Protestors raised slogans calling for the "Independence for Tibet", "Long Live the Dalai Lama" and other demands. The sources also confirmed that the agitated protestors had burnt down one police vehicle during the demonstration. Additional large-scale contingents of PAP and PSB were brought in to crackdown upon the protestors.

Around 250 Tibetans of Nyulra Township, Machu County (Ch: Maqu xian), Kanlho "Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture"("TAP"), Gansu Province destroyed the doors of County government offices during the protest. The protestors also took off the Chinese national flag and hoisted the banned Tibetan flag in place. The protestors later shouted pro-independence slogans. The situation is known to be extremely tense at the moment with the large-scale mobilization of truckloads of paramilitary troops had already began in the area. No further information on the situation could not be ascertained.

TCHRD expresses its serious concern on the well being of the protestors and urge the Chinese authorities to exercise restraint in responding to continuing protests in the light of numbers of confirmed death surfacing from the area who are peacefully expressing their views and exercising their freedom of expression, association and assembly. TCHRD is closely monitoring the situation and will issue fresh updates as more news and confirmations surfaces.
More details, please visit: www.thetibetpost.com

Update on Tibet demonstration

Sunday, 16 March 2008, 4:57 p.m.

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16th March 2008: Reliable sources have confirmed that at least 80 people were killed on 14th March 2008 in Lhasa. One very reliable source has confirmed that many of the dead bodies have been stashed in front of a Public Security Department office in Lhasa.

16th March 2008: At 9:30am this morning at Kirti monastery (Amdo province) which has remain completely sealed off by Chinese military, over a thousand monks fled the tight security and were joined by another thousand layperson-protestors outside the Monastery compound. Tear gas was used on the demonstrators and gun shots were heard according to a reliable source. Unofficial reports have confirmed that at least one Tibetan has been shot and killed and a few others who were also shot remain in critical condition.

16th March 2008: Higher Chinese authorities have instructed Tibetan officials inside Tibet to not take part in any of the protests. Their movement has been restricted and they are required to sign in and out if they wish to leave outside their homes according to a reliable source.

15th March 2008: One reliable source has confirmed that a military truck full of dead bodies was seen being carried away towards Toelung county (under Lhasa municipality).

15th March 2008: In Lithang (in Karze, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province) during two minor protests, at least two of the protestors were arrested and taken into custody as confirmed by a source.

15th March 2008: In Amdo, Labrang, from 5000-6000 people took part in a major protest. Among many other things, they were demanding for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

15th March 2008: In Phenpo Lhundup Dzong (under Lhasa municipality) there was a protest by monks and laypeople.15th March 2008: Gaden Monastery (about 50 kms east of Lhasa) remains under extremely strict Chinese military presence. The number of military personnel is so high that they are running out of tent space for their personnel. 15th March 2008: There was shooting inside the compounds of Tashi Lhunpo monastery (Shigatse) and at least 40 laypeople protesting behind the Tashi Lhunpo monasteries have been arrested as confirmed by one source.

15th March 2008: Over 500 people have been arrested in Lhasa alone; however the numbers are expected to be astoundingly larger since all those arrested are being taken to prisons all over Tibet.

15th March 2008: All media personnel (including foreign media) inside Tibet are being questioned and there are reports that their recorded materials (video footage, pictures) have been destroyed or confiscated.

11th March 2008: In Dabpa (Karze, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province) we have confirmed reports that the three Tibetans shot by the Chinese Police were killed and at least ten people have been injured. Instructions were given to shoot at the protestors since they were believed by higher Chinese authorities to be engaging in "splittist activities."