DHARAMSHALA, December 5 – A Tibetan monk of Shelkar Choede monastery in Dhingri in southwestern Tibet has been arrested in Lhasa on Nov. 29 for being in possession of an image of the Tibetan national flag in his cell phone, reported the Voice of Tibet radio.
Migmar, who hails from Thaktse village in Dhingri, had travelled to the Tibet’s capital with two other fellow monks of Shelkar Choede monastery, a Tibetan source living in Bylakupee settlement said. The two other monks had left for Dhingri but Migmar chose to stay back a few more days. Migmar, in his twenties, was arrested during a a routine frisking of Tibetans by the Lhasa Public Security Bureau officials. His father Sonam Wangchen and mother Dorjee Dolma lives in Thaktse in Dhingri.
The source added that the Chinese authorities have been keeping a close watch on Tibetans in Dhingri for its proximity to the Nepal border.
The source further added that two monks, Khenrab Nyima and Khenrab Dakpa, have been sentenced up to twelve years in prison. The two were among the thirteen monks of the same monastery who were arrested on March 19, 2008 for planning to protest the Olympic Torch on its way to the Everest base camp.
