12. Apr 2010
Three sentenced in Ngaba county
(Phayul) According to a statement issued by Kirti monastery's Emergency Coordination Committee, a Chinese court in Ngaba (Chin: Aba) county, Ngaba Q & TAP, Sichuan province, traditionally part of Amdo, has sentenced three Tibetans to varying prison terms. Ngaba county Intermediate People's Court passed a thirteen-year sentence on Choedar, and a six-year sentence on Gotsang Jamyang Phuntsok, both monks of Ngaba Kirti monastery. Khomatsang Jigmey, a former monk from the monastery, received a sentence of seven years for "contact with outside separatist forces" and "leaking state secrets to outside forces". Choedar had gone into hiding for almost a year before being arrested on 25 August 2009 for his alleged role in "leading anti government protests" in 2008. The local government had announced a reward of approximately 300,000 Yuan (UK£28,700; US$44,000; EUR€32,600) for information about him. Gotsang Jamyang Phuntsok, better known as Jankho, was sentenced for alleged involvement in "separatist activities" and having links with "outside separatist forces".
13. Apr 2010
More airports to open in Tibet
(Xinhua) The construction of a dual-purpose military and civil airport at Shigatse (Chin: Xigaze) in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) is currently "progressing smoothly", and the civil side is expected to be in operation in October 2010, according to sources from the Tibet Autonomous Regional Civil Aviation Administration. The People's Daily reports that Xu Bo, the branch head, said a total of 489 million Yuan (UK£47.1m; US$71.6m; EUR€53.3m) will be invested in the project. The airport is expected to be completed by September and will be in use the following month. ChinaTibet Online reports that Gunsa Airport in Ngari (Chin: Ali) prefecture is set to open in July 2010. Both airports are among 180 projects in Tibet part of the 11th Five Year Plan and are being funded by a 100 billion Yuan (UK£9.6bn; US$14.6bn; EUR€53.3m) central government investment announced in 2007. As part of the 12th Five Year Plan, a third airport is to be built in Nagchu (Chin: Nagqu) prefecture.
13. Apr 2010
Monk arrested after protest in Nyarong county
(TCHRD; Tibet.net) Chinese authorities have arrested a monk during a peaceful demonstration in Nyarong (Chin: Xinlong) county, Kardze TAP, Sichuan province, an area known traditionally to Tibetans as Kham. According to Tibet.net, three monks, Tsering Gyatso, Tsering Wangchuk, Apo Tashi, from Guru monastery, and a fourth, Rinzin Dorjee, from Jamjon monastery, carried a large Tibetan flag and shouted slogans calling for Tibetan independence and the return of the Dalai Lama. Approximately 500 local residents joined their demonstration and called for controls on the exploitation of mineral resources in the region and vowed to stop farming their land till the authorities halt mining activities. According to the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), Apo Tashi was detained by local Public Security Bureau (PSB) officials at the site while he was photographing the event. There is no information about his whereabouts.
14. Apr 2010
Earthquake in Jyekundo
(Reuters; TibetInfonet) A series of earthquakes, with a magnitude of 6.9, struck Jyekundo/Kyegudo, (Chin: Yushu) prefecture, in the south of Qinghai province. The main quake's epicentre was approximately 50km west of Kyegu (Chin: Jiegu), 85% of Kyegu's buildings were flattened. Estimates of the numbers of casualties continue to grow, but there have been at least 2,500 deaths, and 12,000 injured. Over 100,000 people have been left homeless. Monks from monasteries in the region and beyond initially participated to rescue work as volunteers before they were ordered to return to their monasteries. The authorities launched a major rescue operation involving the military and dedicated rescue teams. The desperate situation for the survivors has been exacerbated by freezing night temperatures and snow and dust storms.
15. Apr 2010
Primary school students detained in Sertha county
(TCHRD) According to the TCHRD more than thirty students from Khar primary school, Sertha county, Kardze (Chin: Ganzi) TAP, Sichuan province, were detained by the Chinese security forces following a minor stone throwing incident. On 08 April 2010, Chinese security forces had paraded two monks around various places in Sertha county on a vehicle. TCHRD reports that the two, who had been arrested earlier for staging a protest, were severely beaten by the security forces during the parade. Upon reaching the vicinity of Khar primary school area, students started pelting the security vehicles and shouting slogans. The students later drew up posters calling for Tibet's independence and posted them around the school walls and on teachers' desks. Of the thirty detained, most were released after a brief detention, though around 10 students were said to be still in custody.
16. Apr 2010
Eight Tibetans arrested at Nepal border
(Kantipur Online) Nepalese police have arrested eight Tibetans from Singati bazaar in Dolakha district for "illegally entering the country from Tibet", according to Kantipur Online. The District Police Office said six Tibetan women and two men would be handed over to the Immigration Department in Kathmandu.
20. Apr 2010
Nepal, China, India agree on common strategy to protect Kailash
(HNS) Nepal, India and China have agreed on a common framework to develop a conservation strategy and environmental monitoring plan for protecting the fragile ecosystem of the Kailash region, according to a press release issued by the Indian Government. The statement was made following a three-day seminar organised by International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Almora, Uttarakhand, India. The programme was supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This is a first step towards developing a regional cooperation framework for this trans-boundary region.
20. Apr 2010
Nepal - Tibet trade talks begin
(MyRepublica) A Nepali delegation arrived in Lhasa for trade talks with top officials of the TAR. Surya Silwal, joint secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and leader of the Nepali team, said the meeting will review existing trade between Nepal and China and Nepal would push for opening new trade routes, development of trade infrastructure in bordering areas, encouraging banking transactions and simplification of the visa system for Nepali businessmen. "We are also raising the difficulties faced by Nepali businessmen to get [sic] Chinese visas in the aftermath of the anti-China uprising in Tibet in 2008", Silwal said. The group is scheduled to meet every year and address trade concerns to boost bilateral trade.
20. Apr 2010
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Delhi High Court dismisses Dorjee Shugden devotees' charges
(Tibet.net) The High Court in New Delhi has dismissed a petition filed by the Dorje Shugden Devotees' Charitable and Religious Society against the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and the Dalai Lama, claiming harassment and maltreatment. Justice S. Muralidhar dismissed the writ on the grounds that the allegations of violence and harassment were "vague averments" and that the raised issues "do not partake of any public law character and therefore are not justiciable" under India's constitution. The Court noted the counter affidavit submitted by the respondents, referring to "an understanding reached whereby it was left to the monks to decide whether they would want to be associated with the practices of Dorje Shugden". Justice Muralidhar concluded: "Matters of religion and the differences among groups concerning propitiation of religion cannot be adjudicated upon by a High Court in exercise of its writ jurisdiction".
