By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, December 22: The Chinese authorities on December 19 detained a young Tibetan in Dzoege County in Ngaba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. Tashi Dhundup held a portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama while walking in the market area.
A video footage of his protest circulating on Facebook shows Tashi in traditional Tibetan dress running with a framed picture of the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader over his head. Tahsi was immediately arrested by police on patrol of the town that is known for several self immolation and solo protests.
His immediate whereabouts and present condition are still unknown.
A source confirmed that Dhundup’s uncle, Yeshe (30) was also taken into custody the following day (Dec. 20).
“Tashi Dhundup is also known as Chebe, and he is the son of a daughter of the Khandro Kyab family, who live in Section 3 of Ponkya village in Thangkor Township,” the source said.
“His uncle Yeshe, his father’s brother, lived in Socktsang village in Dzoege,” he said.
Dhundup’s township has been under lot of duress from the Chinese official in relation to the land grab dispute, which had resulted in many arrests as well.
The authorities in 2010 forcefully evicted around 20 families from their land and nomadic grazing tracts in Thangkor Township. The houses were demolished under the pretext of an environmental initiative to ‘turn the town green’ by the Chinese authorities. Relocation assurances and compensation had not been provided.
In the last four months, over 10 Tibetans have staged solo protest against the Chinese rule in Tibet and calling for ‘Dalai Lama’s return to Tibet’ and ‘Freedom in Tibet’.
Ngaba is a hotbed for protests against the Chinese regime and self immolation protests since 2009. So far 143 Tibetans have resorted to self immolation as a form of protest.
