27. Nov 2009
New arrival reports about Tongkhor shooting
(TCHRD) Dorjee Rinchen, a monk who recently arrived in India provided the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) a detailed testimony of how Chinese security forces indiscriminately fired at peaceful protesters in Tongkor (Chin: Donggu), Kardze (Chin Ganzi) in April 2008. The monk, who survived the shooting incident, said tensions had built up following the arrival of a “patriotic education” work team to the monastery on 02 April 2008. The next day, large contingent of People’s Armed Police (PAP) and Public Security Bureau (PSB) reached the monastery. Along with the work team, these raided the monks’ quarters, and defaced photos of religious leaders, including the Dalai Lama, triggering protests and two Tibetans, one a senior monk, were detained. Large numbers of monks and lay people marched to county government headquarters and this eventually led to confrontation. Chinese forces fired live ammunition at the unarmed protestors, reportedly resulting in at least 14 Tibetan deaths, with scores injured.