By Kalsang Rinchen
Dharamsala, April 6 – Chinese authorities in Zoege County in Ngaba Prefecture have arrested 3 Tibetan teachers, according to a report on wokar.net, a Tibetan language website.
Sonam, Kirti Kyab, Tamey, Choephel and Tohlha, all teachers at a teacher training school, were arrested by the police in the school campus. The website further reports that the expression of solidarity and mourning for the victims of 2008 protests in the schools where they teach has led to their arrest. It also turns out that Sonam was interrogated several times in 2008 in connection with the protests in the school on March 17, 2008. .
On March 10 and 14 this year, students of Tibetans schools in the area where the three work as teachers had worn Chuba (the Tibetan national dress) and lit butter lamps in school campus as an expression of solidarity for the Tibetans who died in the protests that swept the Tibetan plateau in 2008.
The police had arrested around 16 Tibetan students including Sodhon and Gonpo Drakden after March 10, the 51st Tibetan national uprising day and many are still detained.
Kirti Kyab was also accused of being the editor of Shar Dhungri (Eng: Eastern snow mountain) publication that was critical of the Chinese government policies.
Agya Bhuemey, a Tibetan who has served the local administration in various capacities has been expelled from his job as head of the school, and currently works in the education office of the local administration.
