DHARAMSHALA, December 12: In separate incidents, two abbots of two different monasteries in Tibet’s Nangchen region were arrested and released after appeals from local Tibetans, a Tibetan source said.
Khenpo Kartse, the abbot of Shabgon monastery in Tibet’s Nangchen region, was arrested on the night of December 6 in Chengdu city, capital of Sichuan Province, where he had traveled with regard to purchase of a new idol for his monastery.
On knowing about Khenpo’s arrest, representatives of the local Tibetan communities and the monastic community approached the Chinese government authorities threatening that the Tibetans will sit on protest unless Khenpo is released. More than 4000 Tibetans had signed a petition seeking his release which eventually happened on Dec. 10.
Khenpo Kartse had called his associates after his release saying he was detained by Chamdo police. Khenpo, according to the source, is a one of the most revered religious figures in Nangchen, and has been on Chinese authorities’ target for arrest.
In another incident, Khenpo Gyurmey Tsuiltrim of Nangchen Tana monastery was arrested on Nov. 29 but released later, the same source said. Khenpo Gyurmey, the abbot of Tana monastery was arrested for giving a speech about promotion and preservation of Tibetan Buddhism and culture and upholding of Tibetan moral values, at a Kagyu prayer festival (Kagyu Monlam).
Tibetans representing various villages and monasteries appealed the Yushul County government against his detention. Khenpo was ‘tentatively’ released on condition that he must attend ‘thought education’ sessions in the county.
