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Lithang under siege days after protests

Tibet Sun newsroom | Tibet Sun

A file photo taken on 23 December 2008 showing Chinese military monitors Tibetan’s worshiping at the Lithang Stupa from a rooftop.File photo/Nick G/Tibet

Chinese authorities in Lithang County have significantly beefed up security measures by bringing more forces amid severe restrictions imposed on the movement of the people following days of protests, reports Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD).

Hundreds of armed security forces in full combat gears have arrived in Lithang County in the past couple of days following protest by Tibetans in the area. The situation is tense in Lithang at the moment, TCHRD reports citing sources.

People from villages and monasteries were told not to move out of their houses and warned of serious consequences if they came out in the streets. All the shops, and restaurants remain closed with streets bearing deserted look except for the hundreds of security forces.

The residents of neighbouring nomadic villages were barred from entering into Lithang town. The telecommunication lines in the area is said to be temporarily cut off.

In a meeting, reportedly called among the monastic clergies, committee members and high lamas of the monasteries in Lithang on 18 February, authorities warned monks of dire consequences if anyone participated in any ‘secessionist activities’.

The monks were also told that government would firmly crush the ‘savage aggression’ of the Dalai clique, defeat separatism, and wage people’s war to maintain stability.

The movement of the people have been severely restricted, particularly around the monasteries. Neither the monks could come out of the monastery nor the visitors could go to the monasteries, TCHRD reports.

Of the 21 Tibetans detained since 15 February protest in Lithang, three people have been released on 16 February. The three people have been identified as Yanglo, Dolma and Damdul Gonpo, who were released from Tsagha detention centre.

As an indication of possible unrest in Tibet in the run-up to the anniversary of last year’s March unrest on the entire Tibetan plateau and the 50th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising against the Chinese rule of Tibet, China has ordered government and security forces to crush any sign of allegiance and loyalty to the Dalai Lama.

Many Tibetan areas are now out of bounds for foreign tourists.

Citing media reports TCHRD said that the Chinese authorities in a recent security meeting in Tibet told Tibetan authorities that the overarching task for this year will be to “resolutely go toe-to-toe in a battle against all destructive separatist activities to maintain stability. The meeting called on the party, government, military, police and public in all areas… to firmly crush the ‘savage aggression’ of the Dalai clique, defeat separatism, and wage people’s war to maintain stability.

In recent days, the security has been beefed up in at least four areas of the Tibetan region; Lhasa, the capital; Labrang (Ch: Xiahe), a town in Gansu Province that witnessed a persistent and large scale protest last year; Rebkong (Ch:Tongren), a monastery town in Qinghai Province; and Lithang, a town in Kardze, Sichuan Province that has been locked down this week.

TCHRD expressed grave concern on the increased military presence in the Tibetan areas. The centre criticised the Chinese authorities of arbitrary detentions and committing a large-scale human rights violation, clampdown on the freedom of expression, opinion, thought, movement and peaceful assembly in the name of maintaining stability in Tibet.

Published in Tibet Sun