By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, July 1: Members of a little known NGO Vietnam-Tibet Alliance have reportedly been arrested from Tiananmen Square where the group distributed leaflets containing texts that accuse the Communist Party of China for its “scheme to assimilate the Tibetan people and its plan of domination of Vietnam” at the infamous in the Chinese capital Beijing.
The activists carried out the campaign around 1.15 pm at the landmark known for its tight security and surveillance on June 24, said the NGO which later released the identities of the seven people arrested by Chinese police. However, t
“Mrs. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hanh, 60 years of age, a Founder and Leader of the Vietnam – Tibet Alliance, Mr. Tran Ngoc Phuong, 72 years old, a citizen of Vietnam, Mr. Doan Viet Khanh, a Vietnamese origin who carries Laos nationality, and four Tibetan members of the Alliance: Mr. Phuntsok, 34 years old, Mr. Tsering, 24, Ms Singay Choden, 26, and Mrs. Dawa Dadon, 43,’ the release stated.
Two days later on June 26, three protestors who carried citizenship of other countries have been deported to their countries of origin: Mrs. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hanh to France, Mr. Doan Viet Khanh to Laos and Mr. Tran Ngoc Phuong to Vietnam who is suspected of being arrested by Vietnamese police on arrival, according to the same release.
Speaking to Phayul, Dharamshala based President of the Vietnam-Tibet Alliance Thupten Tenzin said that, “there is currently no information as to the conditions and whereabouts of the four people of Tibetan origin who were arrested,” and that due to the lack of information on the circumstances following the arrests, he is not inclined to draw any conclusions. “The details of the incidents will come to light in the coming days as Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hanh who is deported to France will be sharing the information”.
The 1989 students uprising followed by a bloody crackdown on the Tiananmen Square has assumed a symbolic importance as a location of resistance for all these years with the Chinese government equally adept in turning the area into a most watched and guarded location. Riot vehicles, tactical riot squads, patrolling units, CCTV and even plain clothed security personnel are reported to be doing round the clock surveillance at the Tiananmen Square.
