26 June 2008
Tibetan monk alleges police stole money
(RFA) A Tibetan monk in Qinghai province has petitioned authorities to investigate the disappearance of a large sum of cash from his monastery quarters, saying he believes police officers that searched his room are responsible. In an unusual petition to county prosecutors, Choyang Gyatso wrote that 23,000 Yuan (UK£1,690; US$3,354; EUR€2,136), given to him for safekeeping, vanished from his quarters at Rongwo monastery between 17 and 19 April, for which he blames 20 police who searched the premises after they detained him. Radio Free Asia (RFA) reports that he has also threatened to sue the government unless authorities investigate. The petition, dated 13 May, informs the Rebgong (Chin: Tongren) People’s Procuratorate that on the afternoon of Choyang Gyatso’s detention, police “searched my room in the monastery, and took 23,000 yuan”. “I think this is directly related to those people who searched my room, and they should be held directly responsible for the incident, therefore, I would like to request that the People’s Procuratorate quickly investigate the incident, and demand that those who stole my money from my room return it immediately. If your esteemed working unit does not investigate the incident, I will sue and find out all the illegal actions of those involved in this incident, at any cost”.