You are currently browsing the daily archive for April 14th, 2008.
[From Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy]
A number of monks of Drepung Monastery in Tibet were detained by the Chinese security officials in and around 12 April 2008 following the monks’ protest against Chinese “Work Team” who paid a visit to the monastery to conduct “Patriotic Education” Campaign, according to confirmed information received from reliable sources by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD).
The “Tibet Autonomous Region” (“TAR” ) authorities sent the “Legal Information Education” “Work Team” as a part of the “patriotic education” campaign to Drepung Monastery in and around 12 April 2008, according to the official mouthpiece, Xinhua, dated 13 April 2008.
According to reliable sources, a new “Work Team” on “Legal and Information Education” arrived in Drepung Monastery to start “Patriotic Education” campaign to the Drepung monks, however, the monks protested in unison against the campaign. Later security forces were called into the monastery by the “Work Team” to control the protesting monks. Number of Tibetan monks were immediately detained and taken away to unknown location by the security forces for interrupting and protesting the campaign. There is no information on the condition and whereabouts of those detainees.
The “Patriotic Education” campaign which was reinvigorated across various monastic institutions in Tibet requires monks to denounce the Dalai Lama and to oppose the ongoing protests in addition to usual political indoctrination sessions. The new ‘work team’ of “legal and information education” was primarily aimed at informing the monastic institution about the legal and other consequences of taking part in political activities as most of recent protests across Tibet were led by the monastic community.
Although, the official Chinese mouthpiece, Xinhua, dated 13 April covered the incident of visit by “Work Team” to Drepung Monastery, however, it suppressed the protest and detention of monks in its report.
All roads leading towards Drepung Monastery were known to have been sealed off with extra deployment of armed police forces. The movements of the monks in the monastery were severely restricted with security personnel curbing access to outside visitors to the monastery including devotees.
The Olympic torch arrived Monday in Oman amid tight security and expectations of a smooth relay of the flame on the Middle Eastern leg of its round-the-world tour.
Officials said the flame arrived at Oman International Airport from Tanzania and was received by Omani sports minister Ali bin Masoud al-Sunaidy.
Oman, a Muslim country at the southern end of the Arabian peninsula with a booming tourism industry, has strong economic ties with China, which is a major importer of its oil.
Authorities have promised a trouble-free torch relay with a party-like atmosphere, including musical performances and traditional dances to be held along the planned 12-mile relay route throughout the streets of the capital, Muscat, and along its scenic water front.
Officials said they expect none of the protests that have marred torch relay in other countries, adding that any attempt to disrupt the parade will be severely dealt with.
“Our security is tight. … The Royal Oman Police is ready to handle any such situation,” said Habib Macki, vice chairman of the Oman Olympic Committee, at a press conference this week.
Dozens of police were deployed on the streets by midday Monday, a few hours before the torch lighting ceremony was to kick off in downtown Muscat.
Ireland’s Environment Minister John Gormley stands over comments on Tibet he made at his party conference which provoked the Chinese ambassador to Ireland to walk out of the conference, reports said Monday.
On Saturday Green Party leader Gormley in his keynote speech to his party’s annual convention accused China of abusing human rights in Tibet and called on Beijing to hold talks with the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader.
The comments caused the ambassador to Ireland, Liu Biwei, to walk out of the conference. Speaking through an interpreter, the ambassador told reporters that Gormley’s words were “not acceptable and I lodge my strong protests. So I must leave to show my strong protests.”
Gormley told the Irish Independent on Monday that he would not be apologising for the remarks.
Ireland’s Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern described the incident as “overblown” and said he didn’t think it would damage trade between Ireland and China, which is valued at 5.5 billion euros (8.7 billion dollars) per year.
Ahern said the problem may have been that Gormley referred to Tibet as a “country,” in what the foreign minister said was a “slip of the tongue.” He said Gormley’s call for dialogue reflects Irish government policy.
