By Kalsang Rinchen
Dharamsala, July 5 – Chinese authorities in Zoege County, Sichuan Province, have arrested seven Tibetans on June 27 after minor scuffle among Tibetan residents stemming from argument over encroachment of public road, a Tibetan living here with contacts in the region said.
The arrested Tibetans, all elected leaders of various divisions or villages in the locality, are Choelho from Thama Dewa, Konlho from Kyangtsai Goeru, Atam from Kyangtsei Kegyued, Lhago from Chunag Drokra, Jigjhey Kyap from Zsaru Toema, Lochey from Zsaru Medhma, Dorjee Tsering from Rarong (all names spelled as pronounced). The government officials at township level under which the divisions or the villages fall were removed from their posts and the head of the department in the government office at the County level in charge of political affairs has also been sacked.
Tsering, a Tibetan monk at Kirti monastery here said some Tibetan residents living around Tagtsang Lhamo Kirti monastery in Zoege County had expanded their houses a few years ago by encroaching public road leading to the monastery causing inconvenience to vehicles’ passage. The Monastery’s administration had then taken the matter to the County authorities who had ignored the matter and made no decision on the matter.
Recently, the encroachment had further increased which prompted the monastery’s administration and local leaders to engage in talks with the concerned owners of the houses, Tsering said. “Some residents refused to clear the public road and talks gradually turned into quarrel, and a few window panes were broken in a minor scuffle that followed.”
Tsering further said the County authorities took advantage of the situation by giving it a political turn, and accused monks and the local leaders of holding illegal public gathering to plot anti government activities. The atmosphere is said to be tense as the authorities called in more security forces form Luchu County and Zoege County. ‘Patriotic reeducation meetings’ were called in various divisions or villages forcing the Tibetans to accept charges of political incitement, he said.
There is no information on the whereabouts of the seven Tibetans currently.
