By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, April 1: Chinese police have fired live ammunitions upon Tibetans in Horshul township, Serta County (ch. Seda) in Kardze Tibet Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, injuring many and reportedly killing two following a confrontation with the local Tibetans.
The incident took place on March 30, when a local Tibetan stopped a Muslim trader driving a truck loaded with around 30 yaks allegedly stolen from the Tibetans of Horshul village’s division 2, according to Ven. Golog Jigme, a former Tibetan political prisoner based in Switzerland. “A local of Horshul Township witnessed a Muslim driver taking 20 yaks in his truck. He asked the driver who had sold him the cattles, and when the driver failed to reply was able to overcome the vehicle and save the livestock before being taken,” said Jigme.
Local Tibetans immediately took the truck under their control following which the Muslim trader brought the police with him. The police took the truck from the Tibetans who tried to explain the situation but the police opened fire leading to fatal injuries on the Tibetans. The alleged partnership between the police and the thief has escalated tension in the region. Images received from Horshul include bloody feet with bullet marks and other graphic images.
Police opened fire on the neighborhood causing injury to an unknown number of people including two who had to be taken to a bigger hospital in Chengdu. The two Tibetans who have reportedly succumbed to their injuries are Ngage and Sophel who were shot in the chest and leg, the same source said. However, there is no confirmation on their deaths as of now.
Dharamshala based activist group Students for a Free Tibet today condemned the incidents of grave human rights violations that has happened in the past week inside Tibet. In a space of a few days, three Tibetans were arrested for merely exchanging views on the recently concluded Tibetan general elections in the micro messaging site Wechat and a Tibetan businessman advocating Tibetan language was charged with ‘inciting separatism’. The students’ group held a mock skit where the incumbent Chinese President was given awards for categories ranging from “Best protection of fundamental freedom through oppression” to “Most democratic governance through totalitarian rule” among others.
SFT Grass-root Coordinator Rinzin Choedon told Phayul, “In light of the recent incidents that happened inside Tibet, we have decided to do an emergency skit that portray Xi led government’s multiple human rights violations inside Tibet. The unfortunate incidents like the arrests of three Tibetans in Golog and the arrest of Tashi Wangchuk all point to our crying foul to China’s vehement policies and its applications. We condemn the unfortunate events.”
