By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, November 1: The Chinese authorities have made occupants of the Serta Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, currently being demolished since July, to sign documents pledging never to return or engage in any activities of dissent, reported the Radio Free Asia.
Videos circulating on the social media show vehicles loaded with monks and nuns being moved out with escorts from the institution in Serthar County.
“Over 400 monks and nuns from Golog and 300 from Yulshul, along with many others belonging to different places like Chungchu, Gonjo, Ngaba, and Dzamthang, were forced to leave,” the source said, adding that police and officials from these counties arrived at Larung Gar to escort them back to their respective homes.
The source added that the signed documents also stated that monks and nuns would be held responsible if they failed to fulfill the conditions set by the authorities.
On September 30, over 2000 monks and nuns were forcefully evicted from the institution as a part of Chinese official plan to reduce the total strength of the institution to 5000 by 2017.
Founded by Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok in 1980, the institution currently witnessing a massive demolition drive in the name of renovation and safety reasons began on July 20.
Unable to bear the sight of their educational institute being turned into rubbles, three nuns have committed so far. On July 20, Rinzin Dolma took her own life as she could not bear the destruction of her academy. Following her death, two more nuns – Sengma and Tsering Dolma – took their lives as the demolitions continued.
