By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, June 7: A Tibetan monk of Kirti monastery has been arrested following his solitary protest around 4 pm (local time) on the main street of Ngaba town on Tuesday.
Lobsang Tsering, in his 20s, held high a portrait of the exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama while marching past the market on the main street that has seen several protests in the past.
“May His Holiness the Dalai Lama live for 10,000 years, Freedom for Tibet”, he reportedly shouted.
Lobsang was arrested immediately by the police and taken away. There is no information on his current whereabout and condition.
Born to father Sherab (household name is Ngoray) and mother Yuko, Lobsang is currently a monk of Dhuekhor college, one of the four main colleges of Ngaba Kirti monastery.
Solo protests are seen by experts as an increasingly viable means to protest against Chinese rule and the policies implemented inside Tibet. Due to the criminalization of self-immolations by Chinese law and the harsh punishments including imprisonment meted out to family members by Chinese authorities, more and more incidences of solo protests are emerging from inside Tibet. Observers also believe that the Chinese government’s restriction on the assembly of Tibetans, solo protests emerge adding spontaneity to their actions without the need for premeditated planning among protestors.
In the last few months, over 10 Tibetans have staged solo protest against the Chinese rule in Tibet and called for ‘Dalai Lama’s return to Tibet’ and ‘Freedom in Tibet’.
