ISSUED BY: Human Rights Desk, Department of Information and International Relations, Tibetan Government-in-Exile (Dharamsala, India)

Survival Under Surveillance: A Brief Overview of the Human Rights Situation in Tibet,1994-1995 (con't)


B. The Right to Freedom of Religion

1. China Politicises the Panchen Lama Selection Process

"The search and recognition of Panchen Lama's reincarnation is a religious matter."
— H.H. the Dalai Lama
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the political and spiritual leader of Tibet, announced the reincarnation of the late Panchen Lama (the second highest spiritual authority in Tibet who passed away in 1989), on May 14, 1995. Six-year old Gendun Choekyi Nyima was proclaimed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to be the new Panchen Lama reincarnation. The Chinese authorities in Lhasa recently announced a rival Panchen Lama, on November 29 1995, to be a six year old boy from Nagchu near Lhasa, claiming that His Holiness had no right to announce the Panchen Lama reincarnation.

The safety of Gendun Choekyi Nyima, his parents and brother who have been declared " missing" since mid May 1995 is seriously in doubt. Gendun Choekyi Nyima, the Panchen Lama of Tibet, is now Tibet's youngest prisoner of conscience. The Chinese authorities have failed to reveal his whereabouts despite consistent inquiries by various governments and international non-government organisations. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mr. Guofang said on November 30, answering questions as to the whereabouts of Gendun Choekyi Nyima, that "he should be amongst China's 1.2 billion people".

We are also concerned for the safety of Chadrel Rinpoche, the abbot of Tashilhunpo Monastery and former head of the Chinese-appointed Search Committee for the reincarnation. Chadrel Rinpoche has been reported missing since May 1995 and was last reported to be under house arrest, accused of "colluding" with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the selection process of the reincarnation of the late Panchen Lama.

To date a list of over 50 known arrests of monks, nuns and lay people in connection with the Panchen Lama controversy have been compiled. The majority of these are monks who were arrested on the night of July 12 during a police raid on Tashilhunpo monastery, the seat of the Panchen Lamas. This list includes senior lamas and the head of Tashilhunpo monastery, Chadrel Rinpoche, who were arrested for expressing their support for His Holiness the Dalai Lama's candidate.

Ever since His Holiness the Dalai Lama's announcement in May 1995 the Chinese authorities have been sending work teams into Tashilhunpo monastery to "re-educate" those monks who may support His Holiness the Dalai Lama's candidate. The monks at Tashilhunpo have also been forced to denounce Chadrel Rinpoche and those who refuse are forced to sign confessions or face the threat of expulsion from the monastery. After the July 12 incident, the work teams intensified their "re-education campaign" inside the monastery.

Meanwhile signs of opposition to China's interference in the selection process of the Panchen Lama appeared in wall posters around Shigatse, Chamdo and Lhasa expressing support for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and condemning China for selecting a rival candidate. Reports of Tashilhunpo monks showing signs of opposition to the Chinese candidate have also been received, resulting in arrests and detentions.

2. The Arrests of Monks and Nuns in 1994 and 1995 for Peacefully Exercising Their Right to Freedom of Expression

Tibetan monks, nuns and laypeople in Tibet have openly opposed Chinese occupation since 1949: organised resistance flared from 1987 with demonstrations led by monks or nuns circumambulating the Jokhang temple in the Barkhor area of Lhasa, peacefully chanting "Free Tibet" or "Long Live His Holiness the Dalai Lama". They are immediately arrested (almost all of the 3,500 political prisoners arrested since 1987 have been detained for participating in brief demonstrations calling for independence).

In 1994 the majority of known Tibetan demonstrators were once more monks and nuns. Out of the 110 known arrests over 50 were monks and over 40 were nuns demonstrating for Tibetan independence. In 1995 these figures drastically increased as 71 nuns and 112 monks were reported arrested. The total number of monks and nuns known to have been arrested for political reasons in 1995 therefore totalled 183. The overall number of known arrests for 1995 amounted to over 230 with the majority being nuns and monks. The reasons for the high number of arrests is Tibetan resistance to interference in the Panchen Lama selection process and the frequent number of raids on monasteries and nunneries that occurred in 1995.

It must be stressed that the above statistics are of known and reported arrests and do not represent the total number of arrests that have actually taken place over the past two years due to reporting difficulties from Tibet.

3. Monasteries and Nunneries in Tibet Stormed, Nuns and Monks Expelled and Work Teams Sent in to "Re-educate"

The following reports were received of police raids on monasteries and nunneries in 1995 which resulted in expulsions of monks and nuns and work teams being sent in to "re-educate" monks and nuns.

4. The U.N. Special Rapporteur on Religious Intolerance Visits Tibet in 1994.

The U.N. Special Rapporteur on Religious Intolerance, Mr Abdelfattah Amor, a Tunisian Jurist, spent two days in Tibet in November 1994. After his visit he published a 40-page report criticising China's religious policy in Tibet and most notably he highlighted China's inadequate and inconsistent definition of "freedom of religion". In his report he stated that China should introduce a law on religious tolerance and that it should amend its Constitution. He also recommended lifting a ban on monks and nuns rejoining their monasteries and nunneries after being released from prison.

On November 26 the Special Rapporteur spoke with Yulo Dawa Tsering — a monk-scholar and prominent political prisoner who had been conditionally released 20 days earlier, about his experiences over 27 years in prison. Yulo Dawa Tsering expressed his concern about the religious rights of prisoners who were punished if caught praying and the Special Rapporteur has included the case of Yulo Dawa Tsering in his report to the 52nd UN Human Rights Commission. Yulo Dawa Tsering is at present being detained by the Chinese authorities for speaking to the Special Rapporteur about human rights violations in Tibet. In his report the Special Rapporteur stated: "with regard to the alleged arrest or detention of members of religious orders and believers belonging to unofficial religious organisations (including members of sects and Tibetan monks) and restrictions affecting them, the special rapporteur reiterates his request that these persons be freed."


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