By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, MARCH 23: With Tibet Autonomous Region under lockdown till the end of politically sensitive month, the Chinese authorities have made Yarchen Gar Buddhist center inaccessible for all the tourists and foreigners, reported Radio Free Asia.
Brice Pedroletti, a reporter for French daily Le Monde said that China has placed ‘heavy restrictions for tourists traveling in Tibetan areas’ despite having a valid visa and travel permit.
Facing the wrath, Pedroletti and three fellow travellers on March 18 were questioned for hours by the authorities. He said, “Six plain-clothed police officers came to the restaurant where we had gone for some food and were asked questions concerning where we had come from and where we were going.”
He further added, “Soon more police arrived and questioned us too.”
Despite presenting their documents, Pedroletti and company were also interrogated for five hours by the members of Yarchen Gar’s state-controlled management committee. Besides the interrogation, the officials also checked their cameras.
According to the reporter, the ‘unconvinced’ officials then locked them in their hotel room ordering them to leave the place by 9 a.m. the next day.
“They chased us away the next day, and we could not see Yarchen Gar or the complex (Larung Gar) in nearby Serthar County,” he said.
Founded in 1985, the Yangchen Gar, located in Palyul County of Kardze (Ch: Ganzi) Prefecture, Sichuan Province boasts over 10,000 monks and nuns studying in the complex. It is one of the biggest Buddhist centers in the world along side Larung Gar, situated in the same province, which has seen much of its sections demolished. China plans to reduce Yarchen Gar’s sprawling population as well.
A group of six UN human rights experts on February 24 (eve of 34th session of UN Human Rights Council in Geneva) had jointly condemned China for committing grave violation at Buddhist institutions including Larung Gar and Yarchen Gar.
The apex human rights body also sought explanation over the developments that have been going on in both the centers.
